Someone to Protect
by Darikiema
Summary: AU Shortly after Izayoi's death, Sesshomaru is search for his little half brother. He was so busy thinking about his last conversation with his father, that he doesn't notice the hanyou appear right in front of him. He is disgusted with the child, but after taking him to his mother, he becomes the pup's guardian. What grand new adventures await the two now? Brofic, cursing HIATUS
1. Finding Aniki

_A/N: Ok, so this is my first attempt at a fan fiction. Well, first attempt at publishing one. I know that some people think that using Japanese words instead of English is stupid, but I liked the idea of it. As for what the words mean, I tried to explain what they meant in the context of the story. However, if I miss spelled, used the wrong word or didn't explain what they meant, just let me know so that I can go back and fix them. Thanks. Also, I know that children call their older brothers Onii-san or the likes. But, this is Inuyasha we're talking about here. I think it adds to his "Don't care" attitude. -^_^-_

"Talking"_  
__Thinking  
__"Inu speech"_

Disclaimer: I do not own nor profit from the characters used in this story. The plot, however, is mine.

**Ch.1**

**Finding Aniki**

"Stupid hanyou," he growled to the frigid air. It had only been a few days since the death of its mother, Izayoi, and it had already managed to disappear. So now he was out walking in the drizzling, misty rain searching for the damn thing. Thinking all the while about his father and how the miserable whelp and its mother had been the cause of the great Inu no Tashio's demise.

_Really? Something to protect. How ridiculous. This Sesshomaru has no need to waste time defending those who are incapable of doing it themselves. Why would father ask such a thing? _He thought, running his fingers through his wet silver hair, brilliant amber eyes flashing with irritation.

As the night continued, he could feel the the cold of the night seep into his bones and start to affect even him, a royal inu daiyoukai. But, such things could be, and were ignored. However, he knew that the hanyou he searched for could not survive the frigid and wet temperatures. Not that he cared, for he didn't even wish to see if it could. For though, he had not wished to go searching for the stupid thing, his mother insisted on knowing the state of the boy's health out of respect for his late father.

"Miserable whelp. When I find you, I swear," he growled deeply, letting his words fade into the misty rain. He shook his hand angrily, flinging off the water that had collected to it after running through his bangs. This was unacceptable, and he was certainly going to be speaking to his mother about his irritation.

* * *

Inuyasha sniffed, wiping his nose as he tried not to shiver. He was so cold, but the sadness that he felt for his dead mother was almost worse. However, instead of offering some distraction, the cold and damp weather only compounded his misery. And, now that she was gone, no one was left to care. Swallowing to try and force away the tears, he thought about how she had told him that when you were sad, it was okay to cry. But, his grandparents had always sneered at the hanyou, telling him that crying was for babies. And, Inuyasha did not like being called something he wasn't. So, he wouldn't give anyone a reason to make fun of him, even if he was alone.

With a shaky breath, he forced his face away from the slight warmth the sleeve of his kimono offered. He drew in the stagnant and wet air deeply, picking through the cacophony of musty and old scents around him. He scanned the dark forest around his little hiding spot, looking and listening with his puppy ears for any sign of danger near him. But, there was nothing. And, with a sad heart, he sniffed, wiping his nose on his sleeve again. He was alone. Terribly and pathetically alone. The silver headed inu hanyou sighed pitifully, coughing lightly from the water in his lungs.

Suddenly though, there was a scent on the air. One that, with his keen nose, caused his tiny puppy ears to swivel around and towards the sounds of heavy feet coming closer to him. He shivered, trying to get closer to the tree he sat beside, thinking about what to do. He could go and see who was coming. But, that was dangerous. This stranger could be cruel and could try to kill him, and they wouldn't have a hard time of doing so either.

But, that scent. It was just too familiar to ignore. It was like his, but so different. More pure. And, only one person could have a scent like that. So, cautiously, he crawled from beneath the bush he hid in and walked towards the possible threat. His cold, bare feet padded on the wet grass, the sounds of his footsteps masked from the oncoming stranger.

The sight that met Inuyasha's gaze, though, left him breathless and void of speech. Walking towards the bush he crouched beneath, a man, no inu, walked with a grace that only a demon of high standing could achieve. His silver hair and amber eyes flashed in the wisps of moonlight that found its way past the dark clouds while the crescent moon and two magenta stripes per cheek told the hanyou that the youkai was of incredible power and rank. His thick black armor and single spiked pauldron made him look fierce and constantly ready for battle. Though he was confused about the fluffy thing over his shoulder, the pup was still amazed at the attire of the being. When the hanyou finally lapped up the sight of the familiar smelling inu, he almost gasped. Without a second thought, he stepped out of the bush and in front of the white dog, making himself known. Red kimono and hakamas just as drenched as his silver hair and ears, he took the inu's sleeve in his hands, opening his mouth to speak to him.

* * *

Sesshomaru paused, surprised to find the thing he had been searching for had actually found him. Its tiny, filthy hands had his sleeve in their grasp before he realized it was indeed the hanyou he was searching for. He cringed inwardly, showing nothing on his stoic face as the dirt was rubbed off of the boy's hands onto the pristine white fabric of his kimono. He quickly snapped it out of the the child's hands and stepped away, so it couldn't take hold of it again.

Inuyasha was shocked. Didn't the inu know who he was? Didn't he want him?

"Chichi?" he asked, taking a step towards the inu to try and grab his sleeve again, tears brimming his golden amber eyes.

_Chichi? This stupid cur truly believes that this Sesshomaru is its father? Our father. _Sesshomaru thought, taking another step back to stay out of the red dog's reach, his expression clearly showing his surprise and revulsion.

"This Sesshomaru is not our father, hanyou," he spat bitterly. The boy flinched, his hands lowering as he ran the sentence through his mind again, mouthing the words as he did so.

"But," he mumbled, confusion etched into his round features. _If this isn't Chichi and he smells so much like me, then he must be related. He claimed that Chichi was his father too, so that means he's my brother. But, Haha never told me about me having an Aniki. So is this inu telling me the truth? But, why would he lie? He clearly doesn't like me,_ Inuyasha thought. He looked at the inu's bitter expression and recoiled into himself slightly.

"Father is dead. This Sesshomaru is his heir and Lord of the Western Lands. You're elder _half_-brother," the older dog said, emphasizing the fact that Inuyahsa wasn't his full brother. His statement pulled the hanyou out of its daze, causing it to stare blankly into the daiyoukai's eyes. Inuyasha had known of their father's death. But, growing up he had learned that his grandparents didn't like him and he shouldn't trust anything they say. So, he had never truley believed that his father had died, but he didn't have the courage to make his mother sad by asking.

"An- Aniki?" Inuyahsa asked, turning his gaze to the ground as he considered the idea of this inu, who didn't like him, being his brother. The word was obviously foreign to him, causing Sesshomaru's face to darken with a scowl. He couldn't possibly imagine what could be so hard about believing that they were siblings.

Suddenly though, as if Inuyasha's mind had finished piecing the information together, his eyes looked up to Sesshomaru's. Pure relief brightening the amber color of his eyes, while his ears perked up and pivoted forward. He slowly reached up to his brother, a happy smile erasing the sorrow and confusion from his face.

"Don't touch me, cur," Sesshomaru snapped, causing the boy to flinch in pain and take back his hands. "You are a stain on my clan's existence. A curse to blacken the name our father. Were you a worthy opponent, I would dispatch your filth from this world without a second thought. However, you are a child. So, I will grant you a chance at life, until such time as your measly death will do this Sesshomaru no dishonor. If you can even survive the night. Now be gone with you, hanyou. The human blood that runs in your veins is sickening," he finished, regaining his regal composure as he waved his hand towards the boy as if to brush him out of sight. His face had regained its normal emotionless expression as he waited for the child to step out of his way.

_A stain? A dishonor?_ Inuyasha thought. He had heard those words before. Only, it had been his grandparents speaking about how he dishonored _their_ family. _Their _lives. He growled as deeply as he could at his Aniki's feet, his tears burning his eyes. They were desperate to fall, but he wouldn't let them.

_If humans hate my demon side, and demons my human one, then where do I belong? If everyone hates me for something I had no control of, and they think I'm weak for it, then I'll just have to show them. I'll prove that I am not weak and that I am the best of both of them. Even Aniki will see that I am better than a cur!_ He thought, his resolution making his tiny paws clenching into fists as he turned his eyes to look up from the ground. By now, Sesshomaru had grown tiered of waiting for his Otouto to move out of his way, so he had begun walking past him, but Inuyahsa wasn't going to let him leave so easily.

"You're wrong!" he shouted, taking his Aniki's sleeve back in his hands and pulling it to his chest. Startled, Sesshomaru looked down at the pup whose lips were curled back into a snarl and his bright eyes brimming with his tears. But there was something more in those eyes. Something that Sesshomaru had not expected to see.

"What?" he growled, furiously trying to pull his sleeve back from Inuyasha's grip. His voice rumbled deep in his chest, through his feet and into the ground while rippling through the chest of his Otouto. The only sign of the pup's intimidation was the twitching of one of his ears and a slight flicker of strength behind his amber eyes. He pulled his sleeve again, but the hanyou had a good hold of it this time as he took a step towards his Aniki.

"YOU'RE WRONG!" he screamed again, tugging on the white fabric in earnest. "I am not weak! Yes, Aniki. I'm a hanyou, half human and half demon. But, I am the best of both. I may not be that strong right now, but I'll get stronger, just you wait. I'll become the strongest you've ever seen and prove my worth to you once and for all. And, if father wanted to have a half demon child, then nothing you or anyone says can blacken his name. So you are wrong!" he finished angrily, tugging harder on the white and red sleeve.

Sesshomaru's mouth was agape with his shock of the boy's speech and he tugged the fabric back from the boy. Though, because the hanyou had such a good hold of it this time, he fell forward when the sleeve was finally ripped out of his grasp. But in a matter of seconds, the furious eyes of his Otouto were glaring back up at him again while he slowly stood from the wet ground. Sesshomaru glared back and turned to leave. But, something inside those eyes stopped him from looking away. The same thing that he had not expected to see in the boys eyes.

Determination.

The same kind that he recognized inside him when he began his quest to be stronger than his father. The same kind of determination that he had witnessed in his father when he had gone to save the whelp and its mother fifty years ago. And, that was what kept Sesshomaru from looking away or leaving.

"Fine," he snarled. "If you wish to be stronger and claim that you can do so, then this Sesshomaru will be there for you to prove wrong when you achieve this goal." Looking down at the shocked hanyou, he surprised himself by holding out his hand to the boy. "Come, hanyou. You will require a bath if you are to travel with your Aniki."

_What am I doing? This cur will not be able to prove me wrong. But, I suppose that now I must go through with whatever it is that I am doing. Perhaps one day he _will_ make a worthy adversary, _he grumbled to himself silently as he watched the hanyou glare skeptically at his offered hand.

Inuyasha wondered what was going on. He had thought that once he had told his Aniki his mind, the inu would strike him or leave. He had not expected to be made a travel companion of the daiyoukai who clearly loathed him. Slowly though, he reached forward and placed both his tiny paws inside the very large one of his Aniki's. What his brother did next surprised the hanyou, though it bewildered the inu even more. Sesshomaru's grasp around the pup's paws tightened, his clawed fingers curling around them cautiously before he nodded in approval.

With a light tug on the pup's arms, the two brothers made their way through the wet forest, the misty rain finally being blown free of the forest by a gentle breeze during their conversation. The clouds also began to move across the sky at a much quicker pace, making the moonlight strobe in and out of existence in the treetops. The walk was silent, but the minds of both were filled with turmoil as they thought about what had just happened. Out of the corner of his eye, Sesshomaru saw the hanyou stare up at him suspiciously. But, he refused to acknowledge the pup. Meanwhile, Inuyasha was debating on whether or not his Aniki was tricking him into being taken somewhere to die. However, soon Inuyasha's thoughts dimmed as he slowly trudged behind his brother, shivering from the cold wind on his wet body.

After a while, Inuyasha sniffed and tried to pull one of his hands free of his Aniki's grasp. But his brother's hold only tightened at the movement. Roused by his Otouto's attempt to free his hands, Sesshomaru looked down at the hanyou. His curiosity was sated, however, when, void of his sleeve, the pup wiped his nose on his soppy shoulder and began shivering again. Looking away again, he cursed the hanyou silently and thanked the stars that they were almost to their destination.

"Aniki, where are we going?" Inuyasha asked, but Sesshomaru ignored the question of his tiered half brother and only tugged on his arms again. The boy gave a frustrated sigh and turned his nose into the air as he closed his eyes. Sesshomaru smirked inwardly at his Otouto's frustration.

* * *

It was very late when they arrived. Inuyasha's shivering had only gotten worse and his feet had gone numb from the cold, causing him to walk slower than Sesshomaru liked and being partly dragged the last quarter mile. When Inuyasha finally looked around, blearily taking in the sight of the hot springs, he yelped in fright and struggled to pull his paws from his Aniki's.

_Oh no! That jerk is going to drown me, _Inuyasha thought, digging his heels into the wet ground and tugging wildly in his brother's paw to get away from the hot springs. Sesshomaru turned to look at the pup fighting his tight grasp in vain, growling deeply in their native tongue.

"_Why do you fight me, pup?" _the hanyou froze, looking up at his Aniki's golden eyes with fear and anger. Being a dog, no matter how much human blood ran through his veins, he would always understand that tongue better than any human or demon language.

"_Are you going to kill me, Aniki?" _the pup whimpered, tears welling in his eyes. Sesshomaru's shocked expression only served to make the pup's whining even worse, scaring him more than he had expected. But, Sesshomaru regained his composure so fast that Inuyasha almost wondered if he had actually seen the expression. With a frustrated sigh, his Aniki shook his head and dragged the pup to the edge of the springs.

"Undress, pup," Sesshomaru said, reaching across his own torso to unbuckle the hidden fastening of his armor, allowing the black skin to drop heavily on the soppy ground. Inuyasha suddenly giggled at the sight of the thick armor sinking into the wet grass, but at his Aniki's hard glare, Inuyasha began tugging at the obi around his waist. When Sesshomaru had finished pulling his own kimono off and stood only in his boots and hakamas, he noticed that Inuyasha was still trying to pull his wet cloths off of his tiny and shivering form. Sesshomaru stifled an exasperated sigh as he bent over and began to tug the red kimono off of the pup. Inuyasha yelp in surprise, but did his best to help the inu get him free of the cold cloths. Whimpering his apologies quietly before his Aniki growled for him to be silent.

When the two were finally free of their wet things, Sesshomaru placed the cloths on a few low hanging branches. He then lifted his Otouto into his arms and stepped into the hot water. Slowly, the inu placed the pup into the water, allowing his tiny, freezing body to adjust to the sudden heat. Inuyasha winced, but made no noise as his Aniki set him to stand in the mid waist deep water. With little noise, Sesshomaru sat down in the water beside his Otouto then drew the stiff pup close to him. The pup growled in annoyance as his brother started to work his claws through the tangled mass of silver hair.

After a particularly bad tangle, the pup barked in pain and tried to shove his Aniki's hands away from his head, ducking down into the water to escape. The inu sighed and allowed the pup's hair to evade his claws, grabbing onto his upper arm to wipe the dirt from his face and hands after dragging him back up instead. However, the inu found that most of what he had thought was filth on the tiny thing's body were, in fact, bruises.

The low rumbling growls of angry protection rippled through Sesshomaru's body and into the air before he could silence it. The puppy eared hanyou flinched in his Aniki's paws, those ears drooping in shame and submission. Before Sesshomaru realized what he was doing, the pup drew closer to him, instinctively trying to calm him. Clamping down on his anger and pushing his protective nature aside, he ceased growling and pushed the pup away to continue his grooming.

_It is purely the instincts of my demon race that are making me angry about what happened to the cur. I do not care about his injuries. I will simply need to be more careful about my composure around the pup, since he is obviously the reason that my instincts are on such high alert,_ Sesshomaru reasoned with himself. He hadn't expected himself to become so angry about the bruises, or the fact that he hadn't noticed the pain of them on his Otouto's scent that was now burning his delicate nostrils. Thinking back on it, he realized that he had been so angry with the pup, that he had foolishly forgotten to check the pup for injury.

_I will not make that mistake again,_ he vowed silently. Taking his brother's shoulders in his paws, he sat the pup down on his knees so he could scrub its feet. When he was satisfied, he opened the pup's mouth and began the unusual task of cleaning its fangs.

"You must always keep these clean, Otouto. Being a hanyou, you will be prone to human mouth diseases and they will fall out," he informed the pup strictly. Inuyasha's eyes widened with horror and he whimpered through his Aniki's fingers.

"Yes, Aniki," he acknowledged when his brother removed his claws from the hanyou's mouth.

"Good. Also," Sesshomaru murmured quietly as he turned the pup around to finish combing its hair. "Behind your ears seems to be quiet sensitive. You must keep these clean also or else you will get a rash. As well, you should be careful about getting water in your ears. You could get ear infections, and if left untreated, you will loose your hearing." The pup shivered in terror as he nodded with his eager acknowledgment against his Aniki's claws.

"Good, now you are free to explore. Do not wander to far, or else this Sesshomaru will leave you here when finished with meditation," Sesshomaru said coldly, crossing his arms and resting his head back against a hot rock. Warily, Inuyasha stepped from his Aniki's lap and waded out into the pool of hot water, unaware of the gold eyes that were watching him.

When the pup was a few feet away, he looked around him cautiously. Suddenly, a flash of color caught the hanyou's eye, and the chase was on. Jumping from rock to rock, the hanyou slowly regained his speed as the cold seeped from his bones and into the warmth of the hot spring water. Though it was slower than his brother's body, he eventually regained the life in his attacks and giggled happily as the frog he chased proved to be a challenge. However, with one final leap off of a rock, the pup managed to catch the frog in midair. Unfortunately, Inuyasha was still a child, and failed to pay attention to where he would land once he pounced.

A sudden splash alerted Sesshomaru that his Otouto had fallen into the deepest part of the hot spring. Stoically, he watched as the pup sputtered and struggled to paddle his way to shallow water, one handed. Bitterly, he wondered if he should postpone his mediation and rescue the stupid hanyou. He was cut off from his thoughts as the pup managed to gain his footing on a rock and slowly wade over to him. Huffing and sputtering, the tiny pup proudly showed his Aniki the frog he had caught. Sesshomaru, however, glared at the wailing thing that his Otouto held out in front of him.

"What a pitiful victory. Capturing a defenseless opponent," he scoffed, pulling his crossed arms closer to his chest as he closed his eyes again. Hearing his Otouto giggle, he scowled to the backs of his eyelids, only opening them again when he felt the whelp dump the screaming thing onto his shoulder.

He growled deeply in his chest as his eyes flashed warningly at the pup. But, his warning was cut short when he looked at the clouding gaze of his Otouto, who's happy giggling had ceased and ears drooped low on his head. That's when he felt the sting on his skin. Being a creature of poison, he was unaffected by the toxins of the frog's skin. But the hanyou, his Otouto, was not.

"_Remain awake, Otouto" _he growled deeply, sitting up straight, brushing the frog off of him and taking the pup's shoulders in his paws. Inuyasha stiffened at the command, but kept his eyes wide open. Sesshomaru looked the pup over once to find where to toxins had entered his skin, finding deep purple marks on the pup's palms. Cursing, Sesshomaru bit his thumb, drawing enough blood to cover the blackened paws.

Inuyasha winced. He hadn't even noticed that the frog had hurt him. But, his brother's blood was another story. The stinging of his hands made him whimper quietly, eyes clamping shut in an attempt to make it stop. But, it didn't work.

Slowly, the black of the frogs toxins in the pup's skin ceased to mar his palms and they returned to their normal color. However, that didn't stop the poison in the hanyou's blood to continue on, making Inuyasha sway in the water. Eyes still closed, he pulled his hands away from his Aniki and clutched his head between them. He could hear Sesshomaru's growls, but didn't understand what was being said.

It wasn't until Inuyasha felt something wet against his lips that he remembered that he had to stay awake. Opening his eyes slowly, painfully aware of the moonlight reflecting in the spring water, he saw his brother's cold eyes staring at him. With a tiny sniff, Inuyasha realized that it was his Aniki's bloody thumb that was resting against his tiny lips.

"Aniki?" he asked. Or, tried. Sesshomaru didn't take the chase that his Otouto wouldn't swallow the blood and pushed his thumb into the little boy's mouth. He hissed sharply when the frightened hanyou clamped his fangs onto the intruding appendage, only drawing more blood than was necessary to neutralize the toxins.

"_Otouto, release me,"_ he warned, eyes flashing menacingly at the pup. Inuyasha yelped when he realized what he had done and backed away from his Aniki once he had let go. Sesshomaru rolled his eyes at the pup who had fallen onto his tail bone in the water. Sputtering, Inuyasha bounced back up on to his feet.

"_I'm sorry, Aniki,"_ he sniveled, cautiously crawling to his brother's side. But, Sesshomaru only huffed, returning to lean against the rock with his arms across his chest and eyes closed. Put out, Inuyasha decided to return to his explorations.

The antidote of the inu's blood had worked almost immediately, and soon the little terror was wreaking havoc for all the native animal life of the spring. The energy from his Aniki's pure demon blood coursing through his veins, much like the high of too many sweets. Inuyasha raced around, giggling and barking at all that he saw or heard, releasing them once he had won the game. However, the little pup wisely avoided any more frogs.

Though, after an hour or so, the little hanyou wadded his way back to his Aniki's side. Yawning widely, he sat down beside Sesshomaru and rested his head against the edge of the spring where it met the soppy grass. With watchful eyes, Sesshomaru relished the silence. Another yawn and the pup's eyes drooped to a near close, matching the same level of exhaustion the hanyou was experiencing. But, even though his eyes would dart up to his Aniki every few moments, Inuyasha didn't speak. It was clear to all but Sesshomaru that the pup wished to be held in his brother's arms, but wouldn't ask.

_Why doesn't he speak? Is he really _that_ exhausted? Perhaps my demon blood was too much for his body to handle,_ Sesshomaru thought, absently placing his hand to the hanyou's forehead. It wasn't hot, and neither was the back of his neck so he didn't have a fever. Yet.

_Stupid hanyou,_ he cursed, wrapping his large arm around the pup and pulling it to his chest. Inuyasha yelped and began to squirm with shock. But, when Sesshomaru tightened his hold lightly, the hanyou stilled.

Looking up at his Aniki, the pup wondered what was happening. But, another yawn shook such thoughts from his mind and he rested his head on his brother's offered shoulder. Nuzzling his face into the inu's neck as it began to run its claws through the pup's hair, occasionally rubbing one of his soft puppy ears.

_What is wrong with me? Just a few hours ago I told this cur I would kill it. Now, I'm caring for it. Perhaps Haha-ue will be able to explain all of this,_ the inu thought, resting his head back against the hot rock and watching the moon disappear behind the trees. It was late and he had had to travel much farther than intended to find his brother. Inuyasha yawned again and Sesshomaru reluctantly stood up. But, the boy only opened his eyes, curiously looking to his Aniki for an explanation.

"We have far to travel and cannot ling for long. Get dressed, pup." Once on the ground again, Inuyasha yawned while slowly pulling on his still damp and cold kimono and hakama. When both were dressed, Inuyasha's shivering began again as he took his Aniki's paw. Sesshomaru nodded his approval again before starting off.

* * *

"Where are we going now, Aniki?" the pup sleepily mumbled. Sesshomaru looked down at his Otouto, who had been tripping and stumbling for the last half hour. His golden amber eyes were coated in exhaustion and Sesshomaru knew that they would not be able to continue as they were.

"We are going to my mother's castle. Come, pup. Sleep while we fly," he stated cooly, grudgingly lifting the boy in his arms and wrapping his tiny, shivering body with his own stiff sleeves.

"You can fly?" Inuyasha exclaimed, his bright eyes open and his tiered glaze gone. Sesshomaru smirked smugly at the pup, but seeing his sleeves and an inadequate way of keeping him warm, slowly and hesitantly re-wrapped his Otouto in his mokomoko-sama.

"Yes. But you must sleep. When we leave my mother's home you may remain awake to witness it." The pup's disappointment was evident, causing Sesshomaru's smirk to abruptly disappear. But, Inuyasha's sudden excitement was short lived and after soliciting a promise from his brother, he promptly fell asleep. His tiny clawed fingers grasping tightly to the tail's fur and a small smile on his lips. Unbeknownst to Sesshomaru, it was the first time in years that Inuyasha had slept so soundly.

"What have I gotten myself into? And for a hanyou no less," Sesshomaru growled to the frigid air. Just as before, the air held no answers for him. He cursed once more as he grasped his power and took flight, headed in the direction of his mother's palace.

_A/N: Oh, and just so you know: I made Sesshomaru switch from third to first person speech to show how surprised and angry he was. I know it seemed like I made and error, but I assure you it was all part of the plan. Thanks for reading!_


	2. The Sky Castle

_A/N: Ok, so this is my second chapter. I know that I only just posted the first one, but I was just curious to see how posting on Fanfic works. Between work and school, I wouldn't expect chapters to come up very fast. But I shall continue posting! And thank you to all those who wrote me those wonderful reviews. You guys make me want to write just so I can read more of your thoughts. Like before, I try to write what the Japanese words mean using the context of the story. So, if I made any mistakes, let me know. -^_^- As for the context of this story, I know it is kinda long but seems as though not a whole lot has happened, but I'm jumping around a lot in this chapter. I originally wasn't going to put Sesshomaru's mother into this story, but I ended up doing so without thinking. She's a bit of a softy in this story, but I think she would be if she had a pup around her all the time._

Theses are just some words that I wanted to make sure you all knew, just in case I forgot to work in their meaning, or didn't do it very well. -^_^-

Japanese words:

Zabuton- flat cushion like a hard pillow

Shoji- screen door

Tatami- soft flooring made of rice grass and covered with soft rush straw

Okugata- nobleman's wife, lady

Daimyou- japanese feudal lord

Joou- queen

Jourou- noblewoman

Kizoku- nobleman

Inu- dog

Koinu- puppy

Sobo- grandmother

Chichi- father

Musuko- son

-ue - an honorific given to those who the person giving the honor denotes a high level of respect, it literally means "above"

Disclaimer: I do not own or profit from any of the characters in this story. The plot, however, is mine.

**Ch.2**

**The Sky Palace**

"Sesshomaru. It is good to see you again, my son," the inu female exclaimed, holding her slender arms out to him. His eyes narrowed at the woman, the matching crescent moon on her forehead and similar magenta marks on her cheeks gave the two an even more uncanny similarity. But, he lowered his amber eyes from her gold ones a moment later and bowed respectively. In his arms rested the shivering and sickly form of his Otouto. Her delicate features tightened when she caught sight of the little hanyou wrapped in her son's tail.

"I see that you found the boy. But, you have brought it here with you. Why, Musuko?" her sneer was barely contained behind her impassive mask. But, the sight of her pup with a child in his arms made her heart swell with a warmth and pride. Even if it was the hanyou bastard of her deceased mate.

"You wished to know the state of the pup, so you sent this Sesshomaru out to look for him. In doing so, the instincts of your son has taken it under his protection. Now, the hanyou is sick. This Sesshomaru is... Concerned about its health. It may also need a healer," Sesshomaru replied tersely, unwrapping his tail from his Otouto's body. The pup whimpered as the warmth was taken away from him, leaving his wet body to shiver even more. Silently, Sesshomaru held the sleeping hanyou out to his mother for observation. The inu woman glided down the stairs from her throne to stand in front of her Musuko and take in the sight of her mate's illegitimate child.

"Indeed, the pup is ill," she murmured, resting a cool paw on Inuyasha's burning brow. The concerned look upon his Haha's face startled Sesshomaru.

_But then,_ he thought, unconsciously pulling his Otouto to his body. _She is a female. And being and inu, her protective instincts are strong and harder to overcome than any human's._ He then caught the sight of the humorous flicker in his Haha's eyes and looked to see his arms wrapped protectively around his sick Otouto.

"I will summon a healer and have him taken care of, Musuko," she murmured, holding her arms out to take the hanyou from her pup's, the same humor in her voice. He growled warningly, but handed the boy over hesitantly.

"Very good, Musuko. Come, take leave of your wet things and enjoy the comforts of my home. I will see to it the pup's cloths are cleaned and," she paused, fingering the damp tears in the red kimono. "Mended." But, as she finished her statement, the tear in her fingers began to shrink. And, to both of their surprise, they watched the red fur gather and knit itself back together.

"Or, perhaps not. It seems your Chichi had given the boy a mighty gift. We must be sure that he is fully aware of its power and value, Musuko." But, her son merely turned away from the two to walk away.

"I look forward to your company this evening, Sesshomaru. The pup will be sick for the remainder of the evening, and perhaps even for longer if his fever does not break."

"As you wish, Haha-ue," he grunted, not even turning his head to look back as he left. She smiled, holding the wet pup in her arms.

_Ah, to have a pup in my arms once again. There is nothing more satisfying than knowing you have a life in your arms to protect. If only I had known where this boy was these past fifty years,_ she thought, tenderly running her fingers along the pup's bruised cheek. _No child deserves to be treated with such cruelty, even if they are a hanyou._ Her thoughts turned bitter when the pup winced in his fevered sleep. Although she did not understand her mate's reasons for bedding a human princess, she knew that the boy deserved better. Silently, she made her way out of her throne room to call for a healer.

* * *

"My lady," a guard murmured as she walked past him to the healer's chambers. She nodded in acknowledgment, but continued on her way. The pup whimpered and clutched onto her kimono. Cooing soft words into one of his adorable puppy ears, she rubbed her thin and long paw across his back. When she reached the room that she desired, she opened the shoji screen gently and without knocking. The tatami mats on the floor quieted her already faint footsteps, allowing her to walk without sond.

"Joou-sama!" the tiny mesu healer exclaimed, grabbing the kimono over her heart in fright. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply for a moment before turning her large brown eyes to her lady with a bright smile. The inu Joou had always adored the doe, often giving her healing abilities the preference over those of her own kind.

"Yasuragi-chan. Forgive me for frightening you. But, I have a new patient for you this morning," she murmured softly as she sat beside the mesu, holding the inu hanyou out for the healer to see.

"Oh the poor dear," Yasuragi whispered, running her dark skinned hand and blunted hoof like nails over the pup's brow. "How long has he been like this, Joou-sama?"

"I do not know. But, I do not believe it has been very long. Sesshomaru has only been out searching for him for little more than a day."

"He's so cold," the mesu murmured, running her skilled hands down the arms of the pup in her lady's arms.

"Indeed. It seems that he was out in that dreadful weather all night. He is very lucky to have been found by my son when he was."

"Oh yes, Joou-sama! I fear that the pup would not have survived this fever if her were not under the care of a healer. Please, Joou-sama. Laying him here so I may treat his fever," Yasuragi said, busying herself suddenly with setting out a futon and collecting some herbs. The lady inu complied, through she remained by the young hanyou's side.

"I will send for some clean and dry cloths, Joou-sama," the doe said after placing some poultices beside the pup.

"No. See to the pup. I will retrieve some cloths for him," the Joou sternly replied, resting a clawed paw on the doe's hoof. The tiny deer smiled lightly and nodded as she wrung out a cloth of cold water. The inu nodded in approval, standing and leaving the room with the wet cloths of the pup.

_I know the perfect attire for the hanyou while his is here,_ she visualized deviously. The pup's red robes in her hand, she walked to her personal chambers to have them cleaned. After arriving and handing them to a servant, she walked to a small chest and rummaged through it until she found what she sought.

_Yes. This will do nicely._

* * *

Sesshomaru walked into the main hall with his usual grace. His usual white attire and armor having been replaced by a dark blue hakama and magenta sash, though, his haori remained the same. Despite his lack of armor, he still wore three blades at his side. However, all the changes did nothing to take away from the grandeur of the royal daiyoukai. He paused briefly, his brilliant eyes scanning the room for what he searched.

At the end of the hall, sitting upon a giant pillow, much grander than any human zabuton, was his mother. She was just as regale as she ever was, sitting at the head of the table, upon her mate's favorite seat. But, the sight of what she held in her arms did nothing to diminish her beauty.

Taking his seat beside her, Sesshomaru saw his Otouto resting peacefully in his Haha's arms. Surprised as he was to find the hanyou in her embrace, he reasoned that it was due to her motherly and protective instincts. Nothing else could explain how she could stand such filth in her lap. Or, so he thought. What surprised him even more, was what the hanyou was garbed in. The small white hakama and kimono adorned in red and green vines stuck the inu's memory with recognition. The look in his mother's eyes confirming his suspicions.

"Haha-ue. Why have you dressed the hanyou in one of this Sesshomaru's old outfits?" He murmured coldly. Her smile was warm, barely hiding her mirth in his recognition of the cloths. He merely rolled his eyes, reaching out his paw to rest against the pup's brow.

"His fever broke a few hours ago. Yasuragi allowed me to take him from her care and bring him here so he may eat. Should he awaken," she replied warmly, continuing her work of coming the hanyou's hair between his puppy ears.

"Hm. However, you have not answered this Sesshomaru's question, Haha-ue."

"Do you not think that the pup suits these cloths well? Besides, Musuko. How long must these garments wait for you to find a mate and give me grandpuppies to don them? They deserve to be worn once more, and the hanyou is your blood, even if he is not mine," his mother giggled, the glimmer of her mirth lighting her golden eyes. Sesshomaru snorted in disgust at her words, but made no reply to her words as he drew back his hand.

The Joou smiled warmly at her son, only turning back to the hanyou when he placed his own paw on the one of hers that lightly gripped his forearm. The pup whimpered in her arms and his other paw was suddenly running the length of its shoulder.

"The hanyou has seen much pain and turmoil in his life as of late," she sighed, her delicate claws running over Inuyasha's bruised cheek. Though he healed faster than humans, the bruise had yet to turn yellow and fade. Sesshomaru's protective anger broiled at the sound of his Otouto's pain, the growls rumbling deep within his chest. Though she was overjoyed at his reaction for his Otouto, his mother's glee was well hidden from her son as she tightened her hold on his arm.

However, his angry growls did not go unnoticed by the little pup. Stirring from his sleep, Inuyasha turned his stiff and warm body to rub his bleary eyes free from sleep. When he was finally able to see clearly, he saw his Aniki staring down at him, eyes flashing dangerously as his lips pulled back in a snarl of anger. Shocked and frightened, he sat up. Trying to move away from the terrifying sight. But, something soft and warm held him tight. Looking up, the pup saw a beautiful inu woman who held her hands around him, smiling warmly. And though those paws were strong and unrelenting, Inuyasha felt their gentleness and comfort.

"Hush, Musuko. You are causing the pup unwarranted fear. Of which, he has had more than enough," the Joou warned, replacing her hold on her pup's forearm. When his anger subsided, or was hidden again (she couldn't tell), she turned her gaze back to the child in her grasp.

"Hello, Koinu. How are you feeling?"

Confused, Inuyasha sat up, his puppy ears flicking between the two inus. A warm smile grew across the Joou's face, making her stunning features all the more beautiful to the little hanyou. Slowly she reached forward and gently rubbed on of his velvety ears. Inuyasha winced. But he didn't want to make the nice inu woman angry by pulling away, so he closed his eyes and waited. Even though he couldn't see it, he could almost feel her smile widen as her hand gently moved from his ear, across his bruised cheek and to his shoulder. Where, her strong hand tightened to draw him closer. Cracking one eye open to see what she wanted, he slowly complied her silent request and crawled further up her lap.

"Answer her, hanyou."

The sudden snap of his Aniki made Inuyasha jump and bury himself into the female's torso. So, he didn't see her scornful glare that she exchanged with her son.

"I'm," he faltered, suddenly realizing that the female hadn't returned his embrace. "I feel better," he stammered, backing away from her in shame. However, her arms, slow to react to his fright due to her anger with Sesshomaru, wrapped around his shoulders and lower back. Stopping his retreat before he could remove himself from her lap. After a moment of rubbing his back, the Joou lifted the pup by his underarms and placed him on her hip so that he sat with his back to his Aniki.

"I am glad to hear that," she cooed, her warm smile giving Inuyasha the courage to return one and wrap his arms around her once more.

"Th- thank you, Jourou," he muttered, resting his tiered head on her shoulder. She giggled at his words, resuming the running of her claws through his hair.

"Tell me, pup. What is your name?" He voice was so soft and warm, Inuyasha couldn't help but wonder if this woman was really as related to his Aniki as her scent told.

"Inuyasha, Jourou." Nuzzling his nose into her shoulder when she giggled again.

"Inuyasha. How very fitting, I am sure." He giggled and looked up into her eyes.

"Thank you, Jourou." She smiled warmly at the pup, but a look of confusion flashed in those gold eyes.

"Inuyasha, why do you call me that?" The hanyou blinked. Not knowing if he had done something wrong, he looked down from her gentle expression in shame.

"That's just what Haha's parents told me to call someone important. Well, actually they said to always refer to someone more important than you as either Kizoku-sama or Jourou-sama. I'm sorry if I offended you. Please don't be mad at me," he pleaded, the tears of his shame falling onto his cheeks without his consent. He was about to furiously rub his eyes and wipe his cheeks of the obstinate tears when the inu female beat him to it. Gently brushing them away with her delicate claws.

"Do not fear, Koinu. You have not offended me. I am the Joou of this palace and mother of your Aniki, Sesshomaru. But, dear Koinu. I will not have you call me by either title."

Sesshomaru and Inuyasha looked at the inu Joou in surprise. She giggled once more at their expressions before turning to look towards the end of the hall in thought.

"Since I am not your mother, and step-mother is so formal and not very endearing, I'll be your grandmother. Yes, that will do nicely. You'll call me Sobo-ue. How does that sound, Koinu?"

"Haha-ue," Sesshomaru muttered, irritated. But, Sobo-ue only waved him off as she waited for the dumbfounded hanyou to give her a reply. Slowly, when the shock of what she had said had worn off and the realization of her request donned on him, Inuyasha's eyes opened wide, matching his agape mouth.

Smiling, Inuyasha threw his arms around his new grandmother's neck and exclaimed his appreciation for her request. She held him tight in response to his praise. When she released him, she waved towards a guard and lifted the pup to sit in his Aniki's lap. Sesshomaru's glares went unacknowledged though, for his mother was listening to the happily chatting pup. Though, she did have many things to do. So, while Inuyasha was eating, she returned to the scrolls she had in her hands.

Meanwhile, Sesshomaru watched with distaste as the pup in his lap scarfed the food that he had been given. The tea in his hand disappearing slowly as he tried to ignore his Otouto.

_What is mother thinking in having this whelp refer to her as family? He is the very reason for Chichi-ue's death and the manifestation of his betrayal to us both. Does this cur have some sort of magic that allows him to bewitch even my powerful mother?_

Though, Sesshomaru's musing were cut short when Inuyasha yawned widely, his arms stretched out and fists curled while he stretched. Finished with his meal, the hanyou proceeded to curl up in his Aniki's lap to fall asleep. Exasperated, he saw that his mother showed no signs of rescuing him. So, he gave up and returned to drinking his tea.

"Haha-ue, why do you wish for him to call you Sobo-ue? How can you stand to have the cur in your arms?" He suddenly spat when he was sure his Otouto was asleep. His mother looked at him, her eyes glittering blankly in the firelight.

"How, you ask, Musuko. Sesshomaru, even though he is not my pup and he had a human mother, he is still a child and I a mother. Musuko, he is your younger brother and the son of my mate. You were not there to meet the woman, as I was. Though she was the cause of your father's infidelity, she was an honorable woman and would have raised the hanyou no different then I did you. Yes, Musuko, looking at this child pains me and fills my heart with bitterness for what your father did to us. But, I respect that it was your father's choice to sacrifice his life and reputation for the boy. As should you. As for the why I wish him to think of me as his grandmother, it is simple. The pup's real grandparents were obviously the ones who did this to him," she spat as she waved her had towards the bruised hanyou. "He is but a child and he deserves better. There is nothing more I can do for this child than to accept him into my heart. Do not ask my why I wish to, for I do not truly know. But, the boy," She sighed, running her claws through his hair as she tried to think of how to properly say her next sentence.

"The hanyou brings me peace. I almost feel as though he is my grandson."

Sesshomaru snorted, turning his nose away from the two. It was ludicrous to him, all of it. He didn't need to be told that his father had chosen a human and a hanyou over himself and his mother. But, being told that he should respect such a painful thought made his anger rise to his skin, the tea in his stomach turning sour from his bitterness.

"You would do well to remember, Musuko, that you father had reasons for all that he did. We have yet to see how things will play out. Nothing we say or do can change the fact that he sired the pup, so there is no reason to scorn him for it. It is not his fault that he is of two worlds." Sesshomaru remained quiet for a while, thinking over his mother's words silently. He returned his gaze to the sleeping pup in his lap as he continued his contemplation.

"He said something similar," he whispered a moment later. "When I found him. I was going to leave him behind, but what he said changed my mind."

"Oh? Do tell, Musuko." Sesshomaru glared at his Otouto for a moment, thinking of the best way to tell his mother what he had said.

"He said that if father wished to have him, then no one has the right to blacken his name. That the pup is not the fault for any scorn showed towards the Inu no Tashio."

"I see. Well then, Musuko. To have realized something of the sort so early in age proves that he is more wise then you are." Sesshomaru glared at his mother, who only chuckled at his snarls. He opened his mouth to say something, but seemed to think better of it. For, he closed it once more and returned to his tea, gently continuing to run his claws through the pup's hair when his mother stopped.

Together, they both remained in the grand hall for many hours. The little hanyou only stirring long enough to cough or drink some water before rolling over in his Aniki's lap and clutching onto his tail while he slept. All the while, Sesshomaru ignored his mother's soft chuckles as he continuously ran a comforting paw along the hanyou's hair or back.

* * *

Inuyasha giggled, his Aniki's mokomoko-sama swishing back and forth in front of him. Every once in a while, he would reach out and swipe at it, though he rarely managed to catch it. But, that only made him giggle more with his determination.

Sesshomaru watched as his Otouto patiently waited for each chance to attack his tail. It was surprising for the hanyou to show such calm determination. Normally he would fly blindly after his prey, too single-minded to wait for an opportune moment. This lead to the inu to slow his tail's movements every now and again to see if the pup would realize these moments and strike. It surprised him even more to see the hanyou notice and strike the tail with increasing catches.

A short distance from the two sat the inu Joou in her unusual throne, either watching the two or attending to some business. It had surprised Inuyasha greatly to see his new Sobo-ue act as cold and callous as his Aniki towards everyone else but himself, his aniki and the mesu, Yasuragi. But, eventually, he understood that it proved her affection towards him and that he should feel deeply honored by it. Often though, he would giggle as her frightening countenance left lower youkai stammering or unable to speak for a short while. These quiet outbursts would often earn him with a sly smile from her, making him giggle more.

At her request, Sesshomaru and Inuyasha had remained in the sky palace for the past few weeks so that Inuyasha could be fully recovered from his fever and bruises. Though, Sesshomaru suspected that her reasons were actually along the lines of having another pup to spoil. At the moment, he was debating on whether or not to just leave the pup with his mother and return to his duties as Lord of the Western Lands, or to take it with him and teach it all the things it ought to know as a member of their clan and his younger brother. So far, the first had seemed to be winning out. Though, the pup's tenacious play with his tail was bringing the later to the front of his mind.

After another failed attack on his Aniki's tail, Inuyasha yelped and began to giggle as the thing he was chasing wrapped itself around him. Lifting him off the ground and placing him in Sesshomaru's lap. His giggles abruptly stopped when he realized that his Aniki was growling deeply in his chest and had wrapped his arms around him protectively. With wide eyes, he looked around for the reason of the sudden change.

Walking towards his Sobo-ue with long and exact strides, a tawny inu youkai with dark brown eyes and extensively decorated armor that spread over much of his body was glaring at the little hanyou. The hungry and scornful glimmer in his eye made the pup recoil into his Aniki's chest, where the deep and rumbling growls only grew louder. Sesshomaru knew that particular inu had been a great leader of his father's army, and was now one of his own. But, this inu was also well known for devouring hanyou children. A fate that Sesshomaru would not leave his Otouto to, even if he was a pathetic whelp.

"Izo-san. What business do you have here?" the Joou asked, her voice as cool and calm as her son's, but Inuyasha and Sesshomaru were able to hear the strain in it. Although he was glaring at the quivering hanyou, Izo spoke eloquently to her.

"Joou-sama, I have come here in search of your son, Sesshomaru-daimyou-sama."

"Well, you have found him. Come, Koinu. Let us leave your Aniki to his business," she replied, turning to her son and the hanyou in his arms, holding her own out to take the frightened thing. Slowly, Sesshomaru released his brother, allowing the pup to hold onto his tail as it walked towards his mother, and the hanyou eater in front of her. Cautiously, Inuyasha walked along the back of the unusual throne to his Sobo-ue.

"There we go, you are a good boy," she cooed, running her claws through the hanyou's hair between his puppy ears, eliciting a cute giggle from him.

Once his Haha and Otouto had left, Sesshomaru's growls ceased and he stood to address the older inu.

"You protect a hanyou?" Izo spat bitterly, the hunger still glinting in his eyes.

"_Izo, I am aware of your feelings towards hanyous and that you were a good friend to my father, but my Otouto is under my protection and is not to be harmed. And, although I am younger than you, I expect no further displays of disrespect from you. I also will not hesitate to dispatch you from my services if I find that you have harmed him. And, depending on the severity, your life may be forfeit,"_ Sesshomaru snarled, allowing his massive aura to extend and envelop the inu to prove his dominance.

"_Forgive me, Daimyou-sama. I will not make the same mistake twice,"_ Izo stiffly grunted as he bowed before baring his throat in submission. Satisfied, Sesshomaru drew in his aura once more and motioned for the male to sit so they could discuss the matter at hand.

"So tell me, Izo. What is it that you need to speak to me about?" The tawny male shifted a moment before beginning to explain a confrontation between the Lord of the East and himself a few days prior. Sesshomaru sat and silently contemplated what he had been told when Izo finished.

"It seems that the Lord of the Eastern Lands is growing tiered with the former regime. I am sorry to bother you with such tidings, Daimyou-sama. But, I believed that you would want to know about the conflict as soon as possible."

"You have assumed correctly. I will deal with this immediately. I will return with you to your lands, and from there I will speak with the Lord himself about this. Be ready to depart in an hour, Izo."

"Yes, Daimyou-sama," the tawny replied, standing when Sesshomaru did and bowing his respect.

Without another word, Sesshomaru left the inu male to find his Haha and Otouto and tell them of his departure.

* * *

"Sobo-ue? Why did Aniki become so angry with the other inu?" Inuyasha was currently sitting on his grandmother's mokomoko-sama while they lounged in her garden of clouds, since he himself could not fly. She had the most amazing palace that he had ever seen, and he was constantly telling her how much he loved it, much to her pleasure. She looked down at the pup, warily thinking of what to tell him. She decided that the truth wouldn't hurt him, too much.

"That inu was a commander of your father's, and now of your Aniki's. But, he had a terrible reputation for eating hanyou children," she told him, almost spitting the words out in her disgust. "But, your Aniki will keep you safe from him, Inuyasha," She cooed, quickly trying to sooth the child's horror.

He sighed, not completely, convinced that his Aniki would save him. After all, Sesshomaru rarely spoke to him, preferring to ignore him and continue on with whatever he was doing. Not to mention the fact that Sesshomaru had yet to withdraw his oath to someday kill him.

_But then, Aniki did pull me close to him when the tawny inu came. Maybe he does care. Or perhaps he was just stopping the inu from killing me before he could,_ he thought miserably. Confused, he heaved a great sigh, staring at the passerby clouds from beyond his Sobo-ue's mokomoko-sama. His sigh catching her attention once more, she ran her claw through his hair and began to tie it in a braid.

"I know, Koinu. But, even though he will not admit to it, your Aniki has grown attached to you. You are under his protection, and my Musuko always keeps his promises."

"Indeed Otouto. Do not doubt that this Sesshomaru will keep you safe until you can prove your strength." Jumping, Inuyasha looked to where his Aniki was gliding towards them, once again dressed in his usual white hakama and kimono, the three swords in the sash that kept his black armor tied tight against his body.

"Yes, Aniki," he grumbled, crossing his arms when Sesshomaru didn't pluck him away from his Sobo-ue like always.

"Are you going somewhere, Musuko?"

"Yes, Haha-ue. But, this Sesshomaru will return for the pup once everything is taken care of between Izo-san and the Lord of the Eastern Lands."

"Alright, Musuko," she said, happy to keep the hanyou within her grasps for a while longer. Inuyasha on the other hand proceeded to pout, pushing his arms into his chest, slouching his shoulders and further drooping his head.

"Do not sulk, Inuyasha. It is unfitting for one of our blood," Sesshomaru scolded, taking the pup into his arms.

"Yes, Aniki." It was the only sign that the pup had acknowledged him. Narrowing his eyes, Sesshomaru lifted the pup until he could look into the small amber eyes of his Otouto. The hanyou blinked down at the inu in surprise to be looking down at him. The sudden idea of it made him giggle.

With a sigh, Sesshomaru lowered the pup and wrapped his arms around him. Humoring the pup had become something of a habit for him. He was rewarded, however, with a squeal of delight from his little brother accompanied by the tiny arms wrapped around his neck. Sesshomaru could sense his mother's own joy, but decided to ignore it and removed the pup from his person before he decided to shirk his duties at its behest.

"I will return for you, Otouto" he whispered gently before handing the satisfied pup back to his Haha-ue. Both smiled happily at him as he turned to leave the garden.

_Stupid hanyou,_ Sesshomaru silently snarled beneath his composed mask, Inuyasha's squeals of laughter ringing in his ears well after he left his mother's palace.

* * *

"Aniki!"

It was the first thing that Sesshomaru heard when he stepped foot in his mother's palace once more. And, before he knew it, a flash of red had barreled its way towards him and into his arms. With a single shocked break of his mask, the inu wrapped an arm around the pup and took a steadying step back.

"Otouto," he grumbled warningly when he regained his composure. And his balance.

Setting the hanyou down, Sesshomaru looked down his nose at it. He did not like that he had been surprised by something so pitiful. How it managed to sneak up on him was still reeling through his mind, and he was raking through his memories to figure it out.

His concentration, though, was broken when a few inus of his clan walked by. They bowed deeply with respect, baring their throats in submission when he nodded his acknowledgment. But, the same courtesies were not given to his Otouto.

Inuyasha winced from the glares he received, edging to stand closer to his Aniki's leg. He knew that they didn't like him, and that it was for that same stupid reason of him being a hanyou. He knew it was important to them, but he just couldn't figure out why. If he was only half human, wasn't he better than a human?

Before the two could react to the hanyou's intimidated retreat, Sobo-ue walked into the courtyard. The other inu's promptly bowing, baring their throats and leaving once acknowledged. With narrowed eyes, Sesshomaru watched the single minded dogs scurry out of sight.

"Musuko, you have returned," the inu Joou murmured, placing a hand on his right forearm, her other resting between the two puppy ears of the hanyou. Though he only resembled a five year old human, he was rather tall for one. Something he inherited from their father, most likely.

"Yes, Haha-ue. But, I must leave again. There are patrols to be done."

"And, you are taking the pup with you?" she asked, her face falling solemnly. Inuyasha wrapped his arm around her legs in a comforting embrace. Or, so he hoped. Her bright smile told him it had.

"Yes, Haha-ue. Inuyasha's life is in more and more danger with his continued stay around the clan members. This Sesshomaru knows that you are fond of him, but he will be safest in the Western lands."

"Yes, Musuko. I look forward to your return then," she murmured softly, lifting the tearful hanyou pup to look at her by the chin. "Both of your return." He smiled, rubbing his eye with one paw, his other still wrapped around her legs.

"Yes, Sobo-ue. I hope that we will come back soon." With those words, the inu Joou lifted the pup into her arms and gave him a strong and gentle hug. To which, he returned vigorously.

"Farewell, my boys," she cooed, sadly turning the hanyou over to his Aniki. Sesshomaru nodded and took the pup from her, wrapping the tiny child in his tail.

"Farewell, Haha-ue," he answered, bowing before turning and taking flight once more.

"bye, Sobo-ue," Inuyasha called out, waving his hand frantically to her. To his delight, he saw her return his gesture with a warm smile before she disappeared into the frigid cold of the bright white clouds.

"Wow, Aniki! You're so cool. Do you think that I will ever be able to fly?" the little pup asked, bouncing with joy in Sesshomaru's tight grasp. The inu looked at the pup critically as it gazed down to the scenery below.

"No, Inuyasha. Our father was unable to fly and this Sesshomaru inherited the ability to fly from his mother." Before he could look back out to the horizon, the pup, who had looked up a him when he spoke, lowered his head.

"Oh," he muttered, the utter disappointment on his face and in his voice made Sesshomaru instantly regret answering his Otouto. He was so suddenly angry with himself for hurting the pup in such a way, he had to think of something to say.

Inuyasha watched the ground with disinterest; he was no longer excited by what the ground far below. He hated it. He wanted to be like his brother; like his father. Why did the world have to be so unfair and leave him with nothing but hatred and malice?

"Perhaps," Sesshomaru mused, snapping the pup out of his pity for a brief moment. "You may be able to mimic flight one day." Inuyasha looked up with an incredulous expression, thinking over what he had just been told.

"Wha- what do you mean, Aniki," he finally asked, wiping away his tears.

"You will be able to run very fast. Though, not as fast as this Sesshomaru or our father, you will be faster than most other things you will come across. So, there is no reason you will be unable to jump incredible heights," he murmured softly. His voice and his gaze were hard and cold, but Inuyasha knew by the paw that had reached up to brush away one of the obstinate tears, that his brother had truly wanted to make him feel better.

"Really?" he cried, all the passion and excited joy from before returning rapidly. Sesshomaru only nodded, looking back at the horizon. Inuyasha giggled and looked back down at the ground, occasionally pointing something out to the inu. Whom of which, took no more obvious notice of the hanyou.

_Stupid hanyou. How can such a nuisance cause this Sesshomaru such grief?_

* * *

_A/N: Ok, so for those of you who noticed, Sesshomaru has three swords. He has Tensaiga and Tessiaga as well as Bakusaiga. The reason behind that is because I didn't know how to put the situation with Inuyasha cutting Sesshomaru's arm off into this story. As for the barrier around Tessaiga that prevents Sesshomaru from using it in the anime/manga, it's still there in this story. Mostly, because the sword was intended to keep Inuyasha's demon blood from destroying his human soul, and that wouldn't change just because Sesshomaru took him in. Also, it's to be a comedic relief in future chapters, so watch out for it! I know this chapter was kinda sappy, but I wanted to just get the whole visit with Sessh's mom over with. Inu and Sess should be more in character from now on though. Thanks for reading! -^_^-_


	3. Training

**Repost!** Cause the first version I posted was totally the wrong one. My bad! -^_^-

_A/N: Thank you all for your wonderful reviews! I just love reading them. So, this story is shorter than the rest, but there weren't a lot of events I wanted to put into it. I just wanted to focus mainly on the two's feelings for each other. That being said, I absolutely love this chapter. I hope you all feel the same. If not, I'd like to know what you think and why. Also, I know that this is the third chapter I've posted in a few days, but I don't want you to get used to it, so know that it is the weekend. So, I wont be posting anymore until next weekend. So, I hope you enjoy this chapter and thank for reading. -^_^-_

_BTW: Okaachan is how children refer to their own mothers. Except Sesshomaru, but he's special. :p_

"Talking"_  
Thinking  
"Inu speech"_

Disclaimer: I do not own or profit from any of the characters in this story. The plot, however is mine and I would appreciate if no one took it.

* * *

**Ch.3**

**Training**

"Focus, Inuyasha."

"On what?" the little hanyou whined, stomping his feet and letting his head drop back to look at the sky. At least, he would have if his eyes had been open.

The two brothers had been traveling around the country side by themselves for the past few weeks now, and Sesshomaru was begging to loose his patience. Well, not beginning. He was just plain loosing it. The little whelp was almost unbearable: running around, chasing things and making a mess of everything that Sesshomaru did. And now the hanyou couldn't even understand the simple concept of grabbing hold of his demonic powers and attack the log that had been set before him. Oh the agony of maintaining such a strict composure!

"On the power inside you," he murmured into the paw that was working its way down his face in his frustration.

"I don't understand.," the pup grumbled, grabbing hold of his elbows with his hands, hidden by the volumes of red sleeves to his haori. Growling deeply at the pup, Sesshomaru let his own poisonous powers envelope his hand, hitting the damned log with as much frustration as he could in a single demonstration. When he finished, he pulled the poison away from the surface of his skin. He looked down to the pup, and with hidden satisfaction from the shocked expression he received, he waited for the realization or understanding to show in Inuyasha's face.

_Jerk. He's such a show off,_ Inuyasha thought, grumbling as he closed his eyes and thought long and hard about what his Aniki had said. The power he spoke of and displayed was something that the pup had wondered about for a while now. Since their first night away from Sobo-ue's palace in fact. They had been attacked by a large ogre that wished to claim Sesshomaru as his next victory and Inuyasha as his next meal. Needless to say, that didn't happen.

"I still don't get it," he cried out, throwing his arms up in the air and shaking them with his frustration, pushing his breath out of his chest from the anger his Aniki had riled within him. He wanted to just flop down on the ground and not think about it. Maybe the answer would come to him while he slept, like things usually did.

But, his next thoughts were of agony. Pain exploded in the back of his skull, eyes flashed red to electric azure and the sun was suddenly too bright. Tears filled those amber eyes and his little hands reached up and grabbed the knot that was forming on the top of his head. He wanted the pain to go away and, he knew that crying wouldn't help. So, he rubbed the hard knot and looked up to see what had hit him.

"_What the hell did you do that for?"_ he screamed, furiously glaring at his Aniki, realizing it had been his fist struck him. Sesshomaru glared down at the pup, claws clenched tight, ready to hit the hanyou again. His own frustration was seeping through his icy mask and he was struggling not to repeat his impulsive attack on his Otouto.

"Do not curse, Inuyasha. You are better than that."

"But you do it!" he cried out again, too angry to really think about what he had just said. So, he shouldn't have been as surprised as he was when his brother hit him on the head again.

"Stop hitting me, you jack- jerk," he grumbled, catching himself. The pins and needles in his skull had faded to a dull throbbing behind his eyes now, but he still knew better and watched his tongue.

"I will, when you do as I tell you. _Now focus, hanyou,"_ he growled, finishing his warning in their native tongue, raising his fist, threateningly. With an exasperated and angry cry, Inuyasha lashed out blindly.

But, his brother was not there when Inuyasha's hand ought to have made contact with the Inu's thigh. Growling with frustration he attacked once more, his Aniki remaining out of his reach. Over and over again, the pup's anger only intensified when he continued to miss and he began to strike out faster and faster.

Suddenly though, his hand made contact with something. Opening his unknowingly clenched eyes, Inuyasha saw that the log his brother had set in front of him to attack, was now split into five very uneven and ragged pieces.

"Very good, Otouto," Sesshomaru muttered. He smirked behind his mask, his plan having worked like a charm.

At first, the daiyoukai had been angry with the hanyou. How dare he strike at his older brother, especially after being taken in by him. But, as he had been about to hit the stupid whelp for his offensive and childish attempts at revenge, he had felt it the hanyou's aura had begin to surge. Filling his body with the power of his blood. So, with some quick thinking and some skilled maneuvering, Sesshomaru had directed the pup into hitting the wooden pole. Now, the damned thing sat in a heap of pieces and splinters. As he stood before the pile, he watched the shock of the pup quickly turn into pride and understanding, illuminating his face.

Inuyasha smirked at his hands. Now they were useful. Now they were claws, just like his Aniki's. Well, almost. He had only been able to shatter it, not melt or create smooth sections of wood. Maybe that was something that only his Aniki could do, like flying. Looking up, he saw the faint smile on his brother's face. Strange as it was to see it on Sesshomaru's face, Inuyasha's smirk broadened into a full blown and triumphant smile in response to it. A smile that made the small one of his Aniki's vanish. But, the pup _knew_ he had seen it this time.

Quickly, Sesshomaru squashed the feelings of pride that had unwillingly swelled in his chest and broke through his mask.

_Stupid hanyou. The twerp actually made me smile. That will _not _happen again,_ he thought, berating himself for his carelessness.

"I did it, Aniki!"

"Indeed, Otouto," he muttered. Obviously the hanyou had done it. What else could it have been? But Sesshomaru didn't let himself dwell on his brother's jubilation for long; he needed him to know exactly what had happened.

"Inuyasha, come here," he voiced slowly to the little dog. He was unsure of what do to, so he held his paws out for the pup's.

"Now, listen to this Sesshomaru. Close your eyes and take a deep breath." Inuyasha gave the Inu a skeptical look, but did as he was told. It definitely was not the best idea to have his Aniki angry with him. Who knew if the next time Sesshomaru got frustrated, there would be no log between Inuyasha and those poisonous claws. So, he closed his big eyes and breathed deeply through his nose before releasing all the sweet air back to the world. Sesshomaru felt himself smirk while his paws wrapped around the tiny one's of his Otouto.

"Good, Otouto. Now, think about what you just did. What did you feel right before hitting the log?"

Cracking a single eye open for a brief second, Inuyasha looked at his Aniki. Why did he ask such a silly question? He was mad. He had wanted to hurt his guardian for hurting him. He had wanted revenge. Which is what he breathed to the larger Inu before him.

"Good. Remember that anger, Inuyasha. Remember how it felt. Feel it again. Bring it back to the surface, feel the rage boil beneath your skin and tell me what else you feel," he murmured, letting a taunting tone fill his voice so the pup would want to feel the anger again. It worked. Inuyasha could feel his anger towards his brother again. Though, without really meaning too, he felt anger for more than just his Aniki fill him. He could feel the deep pain and hurt from his past that he tried to hide from himself.

But, something else was growing in his chest when he thought about his past. Something feral and dangerous. He liked it; liked the power it had. And, he liked the feeling it gave him. It was pride and it was anger. Conflicting and melding inside him, he knew it was what his brother wanted him to feel. But, it was weakening, and he couldn't hold onto it. So, it slipped through his grasp and receded back into him.

"I felt it. But, I couldn't keep it, Aniki. What do I do now?" Inuyasha asked, looking up to Sesshomaru. The big and familiar eyes of his Aniki enveloped his own, giving him the confidence he had always sought and making him warm with security. Without a word spoken, those eyes could tell him anything, everything. Biting his lip, he waited. He searched. He wanted the answer. He needed it.

"Look again, Otouto. You will find it in your past."

"But," He was skeptical, and he didn't know what the older Inu meant.

_My past? All that's there is pain and Okaachan. But, she's gone. Is that what he meant? No, if it was, I would have felt that power a long time ago._ Frustrated with himself, his clenched his hands around the only two of his Aniki's large claws that they could wrap around. He didn't understand why she had to leave him and he wanted her to return. The sniff he made resulted in his Aniki tightening his grasp. Inuyasha looked up to those bright amber eyes. They were mocking him!

_What a jerk! He's making fun of me. But, why? I thought he was trying to help me. I guess I'll show him that I can figure this out. I have to prove that jack ass wrong! Prove everyone wrong about hanyous._

The anger was beginning to bubble up in him again as he thought about how much he hated the look in his Aniki's eyes. It was so similar to the ones the Inus in Sobo-ue's palace had given him; the ones his mother's family had sent his way. He could feel their hands on him again, the pain from that last beating. From all the ones before. He didn't want to see that look in those amber eyes. It was _unbecoming_ of them to be that cruel. The anger he felt was raging in his limbs, the pride was blooming from deep in his chest. They contradicted. The anger dulled his senses, the pride sharpened them. The heat of his body flushed through his hands and his heart began beating faster, harder. His body was hot and tingly, but cold and numb. The air in his lungs was relief, the acid in his stomach had long turned sour.

It felt good. The power that was racing through him. He had a hold of it now, and he wasn't gonna let it go. He was gonna knock that stupid and smug expression from those eyes. He was gonna let his Aniki know how much that look hurt him. He wanted to make his brother feel that pain.

Little did the hanyou know just how much Sesshomaru understood. The Inu could feel the pain through the pup's aura. See it in his countenance; the way those slouched shoulders straightened and his head rose to a previously unreachable height for the pup. The power in his blood was flooding his hands, making his claws sharper and more menacing. The Inu felt something inside his own chest. Intermingled within the pride and concern for his Otouto.

It was regret. The pup's eyes were ablaze with his anger, his pain. The amber was brighter than anything Sesshomaru had seen in those rich pools before, the same golden color as the aura that was surging through the claws in his grasp.

That look was so ferocious and full of determination, he knew that he needed to show the pup that this was all part of his lesson. And, that he had achieved the goal perfectly. He needed to show Inuyasha that he was not an enemy. It would not be wise for him to anger his mother by loosing his temper and killing the hanyou.

At least, that's the rationale he used to quell the regret and pain chocking him. He softened his expression, allowing his mask to melt. Sightly. Only the pup would be shown this side of him. Just this once.

Tears began to well up in Inuyasha's eyes when realized that his brother was no longer showing him an icy demeanor. It had been a lesson and wasn't real. The anger inside him then changed. It wasn't towards his Aniki for hurting him anymore; it was for hurting his Aniki. Because the pain in his brother's eyes was so foreign, Inuyasha wasn't sure it was real.

"_Aniki,"_ he whimpered, pulling his paws free and wrapping his arms around the neck of his brother. This isn't what he had wanted. Well, not really.

"Inuyasha," Sesshomaru whispered. He wrapped his own arms around his brother and allowed the pup to cry into his shoulder. "Forgive this Sesshomaru for causing you such pain. It was a necessary evil that he had to commit towards you. He trusts that you understand now, though."

"Yes, Aniki." By now, Sesshomaru had pulled away from the pup's embrace, his stoic bearing returned. But, his voice still held his true feelings of regret. It carried the pain he had wished to hide from the pup. Whom of which, stared up at him. Those big, wet eyes and the sniffling continued to express everything that the hanyou had felt. Had he been a full demon, the pup would not be allowing such feelings to control him, for long. But, his human blood made the regret and pain amplify and the compassion he felt for his Aniki was as clear in those similar little eyes as any writing on a scroll.

"I understand, Aniki. Thank you for trying to help me, and I know you didn't mean for it to hurt. Please don't be sad."

_Sad? Who does this hanyou think he is speaking to? I do not get _sad._ Stupid hanyou,_ he thought. His expression incredulous, his frustration was drowning out all that he had previously felt.

"You have caused this Sesshomaru no pain, hanyou. You have completed the lesson he placed before you. Now go and find yourself something to eat. You will not be treated like a baby and have everything placed before you," he grumbled, releasing the pup and standing. With a wave of his hand, the Inu turned his back to the giggling pup and sat down. His mind was reeling with what had just transpired, and he didn't want the laughing hanyou around while he contemplated on it.

Inuyasha was having a hard time of trying to keep his amusement from being too noticeable. He still felt so terrible for wanting to hurt his brother, but it was just too hard to ignore the frustration of said Inu. So, without a fuss, he went off to look for something to eat. He too needed to think about what had just happened.

_Damned hanyou! He really made this Sesshomaru feel regret? He will pay for this. Though, he did do what I asked him to do. And, quite flawlessly as well._ With a great sigh, the Inu looked up to the sky and watched the orange clouds and purple sky.

"What the hell have I gotten myself into?"

* * *

Inuyasha looked up, a belly full of yummy berries and ice cold water. The clouds were orange and the sky was growing into an ever deeper shade of indigo. He didn't know why, but it made him happy to know that something like the sun slept too. That must make Sesshomaru more powerful than the sun, since he rarely slept. The thought made him giggle.

He had thought about what had happened to great length. Or, as great a length as a five year old could achieve. So, he had forgiven his brother for the pain he had caused him within an hour or so. He had been trying to help Inuyasha, so the pain was unintentional, right?

Well, even if it wasn't, he decided not to dwell on it. He didn't know the inner workings of his Aniki's mind. He was a full blood after all. And they were all so weird. And, Sesshomaru was the weirdest.

_I should probably get back to Aniki. But, what if he's still mad?_ he deliberated, hesitating in his resolve of returning to his brother. He knew it was foolish to worry about it, but he didn't want to end up like that log. With a sigh, though, he turned and walked towards the spot he had left his Aniki.

* * *

"Aniki?"

Sesshomaru sighed, eyes closed. His peace was over, and he was soon to be thrown back into the turmoil of emotions were a part of his guardianship for the little pup. Slowly, he opened his eyes and looked to where the tiny voice had drifted over to him on the breeze. There, stood the blue lipped and disheveled form of his brother.

"What have you been eating, Otouto?" he asked. There was no need to ask. He could smell the sweet tang of the berries the hanyou had stuffed himself with, but he wished for the pup to answer him. Inuyasha's eyes widened, and he hurriedly wiped his mouth with his kimono sleeve.

"Um," he muttered, looking everywhere but his Aniki's condescending eyes. He awkwardly began shifting his weight from one foot to the other, his hands clasped behind the small of his back.

"Come, Inuyasha," Sesshomaru muttered. He really didn't care about what the pup had eaten. Only that he had eaten. He patted the ground beside him, watching the hesitant pup's movements as he sat beside the massive form of his Aniki.

"Are you still mad at me, Aniki?" the tiny red and silver bundle mumbled from beside him. Sesshomaru had long since closed his eyes again, so he didn't see the tiny glimmer of fear in his Otouto's eyes. He did, however, smell that fear. He cracked a single eye open a sliver, seeing the pup rocking back and forth on his heels, arms wrapped around his knees.

With a sigh, Sesshomaru opened both eyes fully, pulled the little thing into his arms and let the hanyou inhale his scent. It was comforting to the pup, since it was so strong and radiated nothing but confidence. His aura was like that too, and Inuyasha often wondered if their Chichi had been like that.

"_No, Otouto. This Sesshomaru was never angry with you,"_ he muttered. The low rumble of their native tongue calmed the pup and he relaxed into the Inu's shoulder.

"_Good,"_ he muttered, nuzzling his nose into Sesshomaru's tail.

"_Go to sleep, Inuyasha."_

"_Yes, Aniki,"_ the pup muttered, promptly falling asleep curled up in a red ball.

_Damn hanyou,_ Sesshomaru muttered, staring up at the stars. Oh how he wished he didn't have this pup with him, and the feelings the stupid thing evoke from deep inside him.

* * *

_A/N: Well, I hope you all like it. I really did. As always, if you see any mistakes, let me know so I can fix them. Thanks for reading! -^_^-_


	4. Alone

_A/N: Ok so this is my fourth chapter and I hope that you all enjoy it. Poor Inu is all by himself in it. Also, if you haven't read the third chapter recently, I would like to announce that I posted the wrong version and have since updated it to the right one. So, please go back and read it because some of you were telling me how confusing it was in some parts. I hope that the real version is better (It's not really different, just a little more fluid). Also, in this chapter, there are some actual cursing. So, if you do not like children cursing, please turn back and don't read, or pretend they aren't there. -^_^- And, please don't leave my any mean reviews about it. If you have a problem with it, just PM me. Thanks. As always, I love your reviews and appreciate your thoughts. Please tell me if you find any mistakes so I can fix them. Enjoy! -^_^-_

"Talking"  
_Thinking  
"Inu speech"_

Nezumi- mouse  
Neko- cat  
Tabi- traditional Japanese socks that are ankle-high with a separation between the big toe and other toes

Disclaimer: I do not own nor profit from any of the characters in this story. The plot, however, is all mine.

* * *

**Ch.4**

**Alone**

"You cannot come with this Sesshomaru."

"But, Aniki,"

"No, Inuyasha. You will only make this Sesshomaru look like a fool. You will be safe here until his return."

"Aniki, wait-" But, the royal daiyoukai had already turned away and left.

_Fucking jerk,_ he thought as he stuffed his arms into his haori sleeves and sat down in a huff beside a tree. The curse rang a little strange to the pup, but he had heard it used by some of the Inu in Sobo-ue's castle, and by Sesshomaru. So, maybe it wasn't that bad, whatever it meant.

Around him, the wild life continued to banter and go about itself without acknowledging the hanyou. He didn't care, he just liked being on the ground again. With the birds and the animals, the trees with their colorful words and the grass that crunched beneath his feet. They all made him so happy, the scents filling him with their aromas. And, as he watched the tiny woodland creatures grow more bold about him, he couldn't help but thinking that he was happy.

Smiling, he stood to shake his mane and body to end with his hips, in the typical dog fashion. He looked about him and decided to set to work to make himself stronger. He would need to learn his demonic powers first. Or, should he work on his endurance first? Or, his technique?

_Well, shit. What now?_

Looking up into the sky, he vaguely wondered if he could spot his Sobo's palace. He had enjoyed his stay there, but the only ones there that didn't hate him were his Sobo and Aniki. Well, his Aniki tolerated him. He was quite sure his Sobo liked him; she was too nice to him for it to be a ruse. And, she had wanted him to stay, so she definitely didn't hate him.

A light breeze brought him out of his daze and the pup could smell the lingering scent of his Aniki in the clearing. He didn't understand why the Inu refused to take him with him. Maybe he wasn't gonna come back. But, Sobo-ue said he always kept his promises. And, apparently, Sesshomaru had promise to keep him safe. So that matter was settled.

_Guess he was telling the truth. Though, I don't see what's so embarrassing about me, _he contemplated while sitting at the base of the tree again, his hands behind his head as he looked at the clouds. Their unusual shapes caused the pup to giggle, thinking of their similarity to his Aniki's mokomoko-sama. The idea tickled him so much, he was soon full out laughing, scaring a few birds from their perch above him.

Biting his lips to calm down before smiling largely, Inuyasha looked around the meadow again. He sighed, knowing that he needed to get stronger by the time his Aniki returned, or else he would be a liar. And, Inuyasha was not a liar. He wanted to always keep his promises, like Sesshomaru did.

The pup heaved a great sigh and begrudgingly stood from his shady spot to look for something to practice his demonic powers on. Yeah, he'd start there for now.

Looking around him, he wondered what he should do, since nothing really stuck out as dangerous or useful. Though an unusual looking stump and a chalky orange rock caught his attention for a short while. However, the stump was easily dealt with.

But, that rock turned out to be quite a different story.

Inuyasha glared at it, the rusty powder rubbed off onto his hands when he grabbed it as the metallic taste of what flew into the air was bitter in the pup's mouth while he breathed. It was no bigger than his torso, but it was deceptively heavy. Much heavier than the hanyou had anticipated, making him unable to move the it. With a humph, the pup placed his fists on his hips confounded by the oblong lump of red as he glared at it. As small as it was, he should be able to move it without _that_ much trouble.

But, try as he might, the russet, earthen block did not budge.

With an exasperated cry, the worn out pup flopped down in front of the rock. Arms in his sleeves and legs crossed, an irate expression cast upon the child's round features. Furious with himself, Inuyasha wiped the back of his chalked hands against his bloating eyes.

_I bet Aniki would be able to lift this stupid rock with one finger! But, I can't even move it a little bit,_ Inuyasha thought bitterly. Sniffing he looked back up to the sky. The bright blue stretched out between the tree tops, the fluffy clouds that had made him laugh earlier now seemed to be the ones laughing. And, they were laughing at him. Furious with them, Inuyasha growled up at their metamorphosing bodies. But, instead of shouting and getting angry, he just closed his eyes and turned his nose up at them with a light 'feh'.

After a minute of sulking, Inuyasha decided that he would accept this tiny defeat and do something different to build up his strength.

_I have to able to move this stupid thing before Aniki comes back, _he growled to himself. His resolution set in his mind, he stood up and began looking for something else to practice on.

Though, even as he began tearing the clearing apart in search of something to practice his skills on, he constantly strayed back to trying to lift the rock.

By the time Inuyasha had decided to stop for the night, the sky had begun to shift from its bright blue to a deep purple. He had been trying to move the rock a lot longer then he had thought, and it was now time to look for something to eat and a place to bed down for the night. But, because of his disappointing attempt at moving the rock, the pup was not enthused by the idea.

After a time of berating himself for being a baby, Inuyasha stood from his place beside the rock and looked around for somewhere to sleep. Sesshomaru had taught him how to make a fire, but fires attracted unwanted guests. No, he would look for a cozy hollow to sleep in.

But, first things first. He was hungry, and he didn't know the area well enough to know where anything edible was. So, with a sniff and shiver, the pup set out from the clearing with his Aniki's fading scent to look for food.

Not too far away though, the pup found a small creek full of tiny, silvery fish. With a devious grin, the pup stooped down on the bank to watch the creatures. He licked his chops, the fading light of the sky being reflected in the golden pools of his eyes through the clear water. His claws were poised above the unsuspecting fish, ready to swoop them up and out of the water. Without a second thought, he dove his hand into the water to catch a fish.

Inuyasha yelped in shock and pain. The frigid water was sharp and constricting against his skin, freezing his hand to the bone. It was also a lot more shallow than he had anticipated, causing him to rake his fingertips along the bottom of the creek bed. With a yowl of agony, the little boy pulled his hand out of the water jumping away from the shore and pulled it close to his body. The sharp and shooting pain that ran up his fingers was mind numbing, preventing any thought beyond the cold and electric pain racing up his arm. However, when it had lulled into a dull throb, the little pup took a chance to cast a glance at the stinging digits through his teary eyes.

Blood was the first thing that the boy saw when he looked at his fingers. There was so much of it, he wondered if they would ever stop bleeding. But, even as he thought about it, he could feel the demon blood inside him pull the skin and nail back to where they belonged and leave them itching in its wake. Looking back down, he peered once more into the darkening glass that was moving about in front of his feet. There were no more fish there. But, the cold seemed rather inviting after what he had just been through.

So, cautiously, he dipped his bloody hand into the creek again. Hissing, Inuyasha watched as the water cleaned away the tangy and acrid smell of his blood away. Cursing, he reached further into the brook while opening and closing his fist. He winced when they brushed against the bottom, even though it wasn't very hard. He was gonna have to wait until the swelling went down before he could pull it back out. While his hand was in the water, he took the opportunity to look at the true damage his plunge had caused. He grimaced when he saw a few of his nails pulled back from their bases and parts of the others were chipped and jagged. He groaned and closed his eyes to wait. Even if he was already healing, if he didn't take care of it, he would have a useless hand for a while. Possibly until his Aniki returned for him. And, that wouldn't do. Not one bit.

* * *

By the time that the swelling in his hand had gone down and the bleeding had stopped, Inuyasha was sitting in the darkening forest with the faintest whisperings of light edging farther into the earth. While he had been nursing the fingers in the cold water, he had noticed that his blood was now covering his kimono top.

_Shit! I have to clean this. Fast,_ he had thought while he desperately ripped off the red fur so that he wouldn't attract anything sinister. He wouldn't be able to protect himself with a bum hand.

Now, though, he was standing beside the water, damp kimono and numb, throbbing hand as he watched the last of the twilight fade into the dark. He shivered. Not only from the cold, but from the loneliness as well. This would be his first night alone since his Aniki had taken him in. With another shiver, he raised his head and turned away from the horizon. He wasn't afraid. Or, at least he wasn't going to let himself be.

_But, now I don't have anything to eat or a place to sleep. So what am I gonna do now?_ Inuyasha sighed, running his good hand through his silvery mane. He liked it this way, free of any ties or braids. His Sobo had always tried to keep his hair in a top knot or pulled into a thick, tight braid. He liked her a lot, but he couldn't stand his hair restrained in such a way. Not that he would ever tell her that.

Cold and wet, the hanyou walked back to the clearing his Aniki had left him in. The wind having picked up within it, he decided to find somewhere in the bushes to sleep. He couldn't imagine how Sesshomaru would react if he got a cold just because he was trying to catch a couple of stupid fish. He'd probably laugh. Could he even could laugh?

The pup rolled his eyes at the thought of his Aniki laughing; it just wasn't possible. And since it wasn't helping his situation, he put it out of his mind to begin searching through the edge of the clearing for a place to sleep.

During his quest, Inuyasha spotted a berry bush beyond the edge of the meadow. He grumbled about not seeing them before, but tore his way through the blackened bushes with their evil thorns towards it. And, there it stood, alone and desolate. The bush was near bare and what was left were tiny, some shriveled to the point that he wouldn't be able to eat them. He sniffed, trying to find the scent of the best berries. Wrinkling his nose when he found none. But, he decided to look through them anyways.

After a few moments of searching, Inuyasha, indeed, found very few suitable berries to eat. But, the ones he did find were tangy and bitter, stinging his mouth with their juices when he burst them open by clamping down with his teeth.

The gray haired child sighed, bitterly glancing down at the officially bare bush. He then turned away from it and went back to searching for a place to sleep in the beginnings of the shining star lights.

The black glade was daunting. And, the little boy felt the weight of its size press against his chest. He didn't remember it being so big a few hours ago. Looking up, Inuyasha could see the faintest sliver of the moon shining between a break of tree tops. He shivered. He did not like this night.

_I wish Ookachan or Sobo-ue were here. Or even Aniki,_ Inuyasha whimpered. He didn't like being alone, never had. But, even when his mother was still alive, he had been alone. She hadn't understood many of the influences that drove him to do the things he did. It seemed to be his fate to be unaccepted by any and everyone. Because, he was different. Because, he was hanyou.

He shivered again. The jerking of his shoulders and the involuntary closing of his eyes was really starting to piss him off. Not to mention the fact that it showed weakness and that it made him feel more frightened than he ought to be. But, he couldn't stop it. It happened without him even thinking about it. Another thing that this night brought and he couldn't stand.

_I better keep looking for a place to sleep. Its going to be really cold,_ he thought, running his hands over his upper arms to warm them through his damp kimono. He continued on his way through the dark field, hoping to find some place that would provide some warmth throughout the night.

Searching, Inuyasha almost cursed his bad luck when he couldn't find a place to stay. However, just as he was about to cease his search, he came across an old tree.

_Well, even if it doesn't provide warmth, it will keep me safe from things on the ground,_ he thought darkly. With that in mind, the little boy searched about the base of the tree for a low branch he could use to pull himself up by. Hopefully without using his bad hand. Soon, he found one he could use to get himself up into the tree and away from the ground.

As he began climbing, he was forced to used his right hand to get up onto higher branches. The pain that it caused him brought tears to his eyes, but he furiously wiped them away with the back of his wrist whenever he would pause in his climbing.

After a short while more of climbing, Inuyasha was breathing heavy. His body was hot and sweat was stinging painfully at his back and brow. Irritated, he hit the trunk of the tree in front of him. He didn't understand what was wrong with him. Why was he suddenly so weak? A few days ago he would have been able to climb a tree much taller and denser than the one he stood in much faster and easier. In fact, he had! So what was so different about tonight? Angrily, he hit the tree again.

It cracked. His fist went through the wood, breaking it as it went. Maybe he wasn't as weak as he had thought. But, beyond the initial shell of wood he had broken, nothing lay inside. His hand, hidden by the darkness, was in a deep crevice.

_The tree must have had something burrow its way inside it a long time ago. It's got to be dead now,_ he thought, pulling his hand back and out of the tree.

_I wonder how big the hollow is?_ He mused, tightening his fist again then punching it through the tree wall once more. The crunch it made reverberated through the clearing, deafening him in the silence. He cringed as it echoed back to him in the night. Sniffing, he figured he hadn't attracted any visitors with the noise. So, he'd try again. But, quieter.

Instead of punching his hand through the bark, he searched for the edge of the hole he had made and pulled against it. It broke easily, but with just as much noise. He shrank back from the sound, biting his lip to keep from whimpering. After a minute of waiting, he pulled another piece off and let it drop to the ground below him. Now all that was left was a hole, no bigger than his torso was around. Plenty big enough for him to explore the hollow without making anymore noise.

Cautiously, he reached his hands inside and felt about the chamber. He slowly continued on, searching for the other side of the tree. The rough surface of the wooden shell gently brushed his fingers, caressing his bruised nails with their long splinters. He gently ran those fingers down the side, caressing the jagged remains of the rotted timber. He eventually came down to a bowl at the bottom of the chamber, no farther down from the hole than where his knees reached from the branch he stood on. Tall and craggy spears of wood came up to prick his fingers. After a moment of outlining the edge of the well, Inuyasha traced his path back up the side of the trunk to find the top. However, he never found it. Higher than he could see or reach, the decay ran up center of the tree; it spread farther than he could comprehend, but not so far that it was exposed to the elements beyond. With a sudden idea, the boy withdrew from his perch to climb back down. When he landed on the stiff grass, Inuyasha removed his slightly damp kimono and laid it on the ground.

Searching for dry fallen leaves was a much more difficult task than he had originally figured. Though they were not soggy, they were damp enough to give off the foul scent of rotting earth. So, in the stagnant light of the stars and hiding moon, he searched for dry ones.

Shortly after he began his search, Inuyasha had managed to find enough dry leaves to fill his kimono. Wrapping them up tightly, he began to trudge back up to the cracked face of the bark. When he did reach the hole, he pushed the large and puffed kimono into the hollow. Untying the sleeves, he dumped the leaves into the bottom.

"There!" he exclaimed, happy with his work to turn the leaves into a suitable bed. After climbing inside, he had flattened and rearranged them to cover the basin of jagged spears. It had only taken him a few minutes, but the exertion of the day along with the injury to his hand had left him drained. Yawning loudly, his arms stretched out until they reached the sides of his shelter.

Yes, this would do nicely. Perhaps, if Aniki needed to leave him by himself again, he'd just bring him here.

He then curled into a ball, resting his head on his left arm, holding his right hand to his chest. Already much warmer than he had been moments before, he fell into a light sleep. He breathed deeply, the fading scent of his Aniki filling his nose, lulling him even deeper into his lonely dreams.

* * *

He shivered. He didn't know how cold it was or how late in the night it had gotten. Now he really wished that he had made a fire, since the snow would be starting to fall any day. And right now, it was cold. Damn cold.

He sniffed, searching for what had woken him. A strange yowl on the wind that sent waves of cold down his spine sounded. And, it was much closer than he had anticipated. Sniffing at the air to try and figure out what was going on, he slowly reached forward to grab hold of the edge of his entry way.

It was the second night since his Aniki had left him and he had been sleeping comfortably. Well, until now. By now, his hand should have completely healed. But, something was wrong. He had felt it the moment the sun went down and he climbed back up into his hollow. Now though, something else was wrong. He couldn't hear or smell like he had been able to earlier.

The yowling sounded again, breaking his thoughts and tearing away his confidence. He shivered and hid away in the hollow again. Maybe if he didn't make any sound or leave the tree, he would be ok.

No, that wouldn't work. No matter how hard he tried, his Aniki had always been able to find him while they trained. So, if this thing that was making its way towards him had any kind of sense of smell better than a humans, it would find him. Groaning, he shook his head. He had to be stronger than that. Being afraid was weak. His Aniki would never come to respect him if he tried to hide from this thing. And the best thing to do right now, was to be in the open. So he had a place to run, and wasn't trapped inside a stupid tree when it came for him.

Grudgingly, he crawled out of the tree and climbed down to the cold ground. His feet burned the instant they touched the frozen earth while his shoulders shook from the shiver that the wind had induced from him. He hated it. How cold it had gotten. And, how suddenly.

_Stop being a wimp,_ he grumbled lowly to himself. He wasn't weak, and he wasn't going to show any sort of his intimidation. There was nothing that was going to stop him from proving his Aniki wrong.

However, what flew out of the trees made him rethink his decision to leave his tree. Even in his weakened state, he could see and smell the blood all over the nezumi youkai. Hovering behind the base of his tree, Inuyasha watched as the two foot high mouse tried to run into the center of the barren field.

But, it never made it.

As soon as the little nezumi broke free of the tree line, a giant neko followed suit. Clawing and raging after its fleeing prey. Snarling, it swiped at the nezumi, sending it flying out into the center of the clearing. Inuyasha flinched when he heard the bone crack, the wail that it cried as it died pierced his ears. He winced and reached up to grab hold of them.

But, they weren't there.

His ears were gone. No, they were on the side of his head. And, they were human.

Human?

He ran his hands through his hair were his puppy ears ought to be, pulling them down over his strange human ones and across his cheeks. He looked down at them, the hair in them was... Black. Black! And, his claws were gone!

And, now he was on the edge of a clearing with a twelve foot neko youkai. Without his ears. With black hair, unable to hear and smell like he used to. As a human. Alone.

_Oh no! What's happened to me? What am I gonna do?_ He thought frantically. His breathing grew fast and ragged, eyes widened when he looked over to see the neko had disappeared from where it had been devouring the nezumi. He scrambled farther away from the nezumi's body, trying to get somewhere safe as the panic that was filling him began to constrict his throat. Cutting off his precious air supply. He almost cried out when he tripped over a root from his tree.

Landing on his ass, he rolled over, biting his lips as he tried to rub away the pain from the tree root that he had collided with. Grunting, the boy sat up and crawled over to the base of the tree. His chest had begun to hurt more than his tail bone; long before, actually.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here?"

Inuyasha froze. He hadn't noticed the neko get so close to him.

"A little human child. Tell me, where have you been hiding, boy?" the sleek black and white cat purred, climbing down from the branch of a nearby tree that it was perched on. Oh what a wonderful thing, to find a human child in the middle of the forest.

Inuyasha didn't move, he didn't even turn to look at the thing that was stalking him. He opened his mouth wide to gasp for breath, but the air caught in his chest.

Human...

Closing his mouth to gulp down the knot of terror inside him, he mentally screamed for his body to run. To move. Anything! But, it didn't. He couldn't get away from the monster that came towards him.

Inuyasha sniffed, the metallic tang of his fear ran right through his body. Down into his very toes. His heart felt as though it would burst from his chest and he vaguely wondered why it didn't. Biting his lip, the hanyou glanced over to the nezumi in the center of the dark glade. He gulped.

It was then that he felt the hand caress his cheek. He jumped.

There, where the cat had once stood, was beautiful woman. Her black, silken hair flowing around her hips, bright yellow eyes flashing with their malicious taunting and the markings he had seen on her true form stood out brightly against her pale skin. This woman was like his Aniki. But, no where near as powerful. He knew that much. He swallowed, his fear inducing waves of electricity to surge through him. His body was telling him to run. But, his mind was screaming for him to fight.

"I asked you a question, boy," she murmured, running her smooth fingers along his cheek.

_Crap!_

Behind her, Inuyasha could see the halo of the rising sun beyond the mountains. He gulped. He didn't know how long he would be able to last against a female neko. Now, he really wished his Aniki had taken him along. He closed his eyes, bracing himself for the inevitable strike that would end his life. Hopefully, his Aniki cared enough about him to exact revenge on this fucking neko for him. He almost smirked. For, now, the curse rang true.

"What?" He heard the cat gasp. Opening his clenched eyes, he saw the shock in the slit ones of the neko. Confused, Inuyasha opened his mouth to speak. But, he felt something graze along the back of his bottom lip when he did. Something very familiar. He almost smiled when he realized what it was.

His fangs had returned. As had his claws and his puppy ears. He could feel them. Feel the demon blood within him begin to heal his fingers once more. He had returned to normal.

"You are a hanyou! And and Inu no less. How revolting," the neko spat, her disgusted sneer diminishing her beauty.

The pup growled. How dare she say it like that! It's not as if he had had a choice.

"It seems then, that I should just put you out of your misery. Though, perhaps. You would make some decent fun," she muttered, the sneer quickly turning up into a deviously smirk. She retreated a foot or two from his tiny form and began to glow. She was transforming, so now was his moment to run away.

Without really thinking about it, the pup jumped up into the tree. Reaching his hide away much faster than he had the last two nights before. Yes, he had returned to his normal self. Now to get rid of the stupid neko.

After he crawled inside, he huddled as far back into his den as possible. He might have a chance at evading those nasty claws if he was out of reach.

But, no such luck.

The cat was soon in the tree, perched upon the nearest branch that would hold her weight. Slowly, she reached out, and before the pup could react, her claws had grabbed hold of his arm. Pulling him closer to her. Snarling, Inuyasha reached for the power of his blood, his youki, and attacked the offending limb. The invader yowled again, its paw falling down to lay limply on the ground between the two. The pup smirked, but didn't dare leave the safe confines of his tree.

"How'd'cha like that?" he cried out boastfully, his chest swelling with pride. He really shouldn't have, but, childishly, he stuck his nose out of his hide away to taunt the beast beyond it. The beast wailed, flailing its torn body about the clearing and howling in utter agony. He watched at the paw he had clawed off plopped onto the ground with a measly thud, the cat licking where it had once been attached.

"You will pay for this, hanyou!" she cried out, her tears of pain streaming down her furred face.

"Just try it!" he shouted back. He didn't want it to come back. But, he wasn't gonna back down from a fight.

"Just you wait, mutt. You may be the ward of the Lord of the West. But, I will have my revenge on you."

"Well then what are you waiting for? Come and get me!" Looking out into the clearing, he watched the cat recoil and stiffen, ready to pounce.

"You will see me again, hanyou. You have won this time, and I need to heal. But, you will not win again."

And then, he was alone. Around him, the first snow fall of the year began to blanket the earth, hiding the blood of the two youkai.

* * *

"Poor nezumi," the pup muttered, running his fully healed hand along the cleanest part of the mouse's body: it's forehead. Sniffing with despair, the pup wiped his eyes with his kimono sleeve and turned around in place. He was searching for a place. Somewhere higher than the rest of the clearing. Somewhere respectful.

He was going to bury the nezumi and give it peace. It deserved that.

So, after a moment of his search, he found the perfect spot. At the top of the large, low swell that defined the clearing they were in. Yes, that was a good spot. Once there, he cleared away the accumulating snow and began the hard task of digging a deep and large enough hole for its grave.

Hours passed before the little hanyou had finished his task, leaving him sweating and gasping for breath. He decided that it was too soon for a break. The nezumi needed to be buried now. So, he walked over to it, and lifted its little form in his arms. It couldn't have been any bigger than the fucking rock he had been trying to lift the past two days, but it was almost as heavy.

But, he didn't care. He wasn't going to drag it across the ground. Not after what the neko had done to it.

No, Inuyasha carried the mouse over to the crude grave he had dug for it. Carefully, he placed it at the bottom of the crater, giving it one last caress on the forehead.

"Sleep well, Nezumi-san," the hanyou murmured softly. And, with one final glance at the little youkai, the pup proceeded to fill the hole and bury the mouse.

* * *

_This damn rock is gonna move. I just know it,_ the pup thought. He was standing in front of the auburn boulder that had been plaguing him for the past two days. Now on the third day since his Aniki left him, Inuyasha was bound and absolutely determined to lift it. After dealing with that awful cat the past night, he ought to be able to do it now.

So, he settled his feet on either side of the rock, putting his hands underneath the familiar hand holds. His bent knees straightened as he began to stand up to try and lift it. He pulled, the muscles straining under the pressure of trying to take it with him. He could feel his back pop and pull. Crying out, he pulled the rock up from the ground. But, before he could get it higher than his knees, his strength ran out and he dropped it.

Cursing, Inuyasha glared at the rock. He hated the thing. It hurt his back to try and lift it, and now the freshly fallen snow was freezing his toes. Snarling, he attacked the rock with his claws, his youki surging through his hand. He wanted to make a dent in it. Or, at least scratch it.

And that, he did. Four thick and deep lines marred the surface of the rock, making the pup smirk smugly. But, that didn't help him lift it, he realized. So, sighing heavily, he tried again. With the same results.

"GRRRAAH!" he shouted, stomping his feet and throwing his fists to his sides. He was so mad, he didn't understand why this wasn't working. He had been able to claw off a neko's paw and lift a dead nezumi all on his own. Yet, he couldn't lift a damned rock?

"Fine!" he shouted again. He squatted next to the rock and pulled it as close to him as he could. Leaning back, he stood quickly when the russet mound threatened to fall on him. And before he knew it, it was in the air and across the field.

Inuyasha blinked. Did he really just do that?

He did, didn't he? Smiling, the pup ran over to where the rock had landed. Placing his heel on the rock, he shoved it as hard as he could. It rolled over with a loud crunch, breaking in half. Licking his lips, Inuyasha smiled brightly.

He had done it!

And now, he hurt. A lot.

Groaning, the pup limped over to the tree and jumped onto a low branch. He felt like his back wanted to pop, but it wouldn't. So, with his feet hanging over one side, he hung his upper torso and head of the other side of the large branch he was on and waited for his spine to stop hurting.

"Inuyasha, what are you doing?"

The pup jumped, turning to where his Aniki had landed and began speaking to him. His comforting scent surged through the little hanyou and washed over him with relief. Inuyasha's tense expression relaxed into one of joy while his stretched body fell limp in its former position.

"Aniki! You came back," he cried, jumping from the tree limb and running to the Inu with his arms spread wide open and amber eyes beginning to water.

"Indeed, hanyou. Did you seriously doubt this Sesshomaru?" he muttered, allowing the teary pup to jump into his arms. But, Inuyasha just shook his head, burying his face into his brother's collar. He wasn't gonna let go. Well, at least for right now.

"I missed you, Aniki. Please, don't go away again," he whispered, tightening his hold around the Inu's neck.

"What has gotten into-" But, Sesshomaru didn't finish what he was about to say, the foul stench of a neko reaching his nose and breaking his train of thought. Growling softly, he checked the pup for injury.

"You are injured, hanyou. Show me," he muttered dangerously, setting the pup down on the ground. With quite a lot of difficulty. The pup's eyes cautiously looked into his Aniki's. Silently, he lifted the red sleeve and held his tiny forearm out for display. There, the deep and red gashes the cat had given him shown out, swollen and scabbed. The large paw of the his Aniki enveloped his arm and the clawed thumb ran the length of the injury. Wincing, Inuyasha looked up to see Sesshomaru's reaction. But, his Aniki's cold and stoic expression was the same as it always was, even his eyes held nothing as they gazed up and down the scratches. Inside though, Sesshomaru was raging against himself to release his intimidating growls of anger.

"An-Aniki?" Inuyasha stammered. He wanted to know what the Inu was thinking. But, he didn't know how to ask.

"What happened to the neko, Inuyasha?" the cold chill in Sesshomaru's voice bit at the hanyou, his puppy ears swooping back and lowering in shame. What was he gonna tell his Aniki?

"I- It ran away. I took its paw off, though!" he cried, suddenly enthusiastic about the situation. Pulling his arm free of the Inu's paw, Inuyasha ran over to where he had thrown the bloody thing after burying the nezumi.

Sesshomaru watched the pup, suspiciously wondering what he was talking about. When the hanyou returned, he was holding a black paw by one of its sharp claws, held as far away from his body as possible, disgusted. Raising an eyebrow, the dog cast a critically gaze over the detached limb. It was nearly the size of the pup's body, and yet he could lift it almost effortlessly. Silently, Sesshomaru stood and turned to stare at the tall, dead tree his little brother had turned into a hiding place and den.

"The scents here tell me that something happened to you. Tell me, Otouto. What was it?"

Inuyasha winced. He knew his Aniki's sense of smell was much more sensitive than his. But, he didn't think that he would have been able to figure out the events of the night before. Especially with all the neko and nezumi blood covering the clearing.

"I- I- Ch-changed," he stuttered, drawing circles in the grass with his toes. Watching them, he didn't see the Inu turn to look at him. Sesshomaru had figured as much, but he could smell the fear the pup was exuding by remembering the experience.

"Into what, Otouto?" the pup winced again. He really didn't know how to tell his pure blooded Aniki that he had turned into a human. But, after a moment of biting his lips, he licked them and began to tell his patient brother all of what had happened the previous night.

"Why did it happen to me, Aniki? I don't understand," the hanyou sputtered when he finished, sniffing several times to keep the water in his eyes from leaking onto his cheeks. It was stupid to cry. And, his Aniki didn't like it when he cired.

But, Sesshomaru only sighed. He had known, from what his mother had told him about hanyous long ago, that Inuyasha would have a night of weakness. A time, when, they were human. And, only human. He looked down at the diminishing figure of his Otouto. He hadn't known when the pup's time of weakness would be. And as such, had left him all by himself, as nothing more than a human. On the night before the first snow. To be nothing more than cat food.

He felt his beast self rile and burn to be released from his humanoid flesh. He was so angry. Not only at the damned neko for daring to harm his Otouto, but at himself. For leaving the pup in such a vulnerable position.

_Stupid hanyou,_ he rationalized to himself. Yes, that had to be why the neko had been able to scratch him. It had nothing to do with the fact that Sesshomaru was not there to protect him. Growling, he shoved away his true form and instincts and looked over the pup once more.

"You are a hanyou. Half demon, but half human also. So, there will be times when you loose all your demonic powers and appearances to become a human. A full human. This is nothing new, pup. All hanyous must go through this," Sesshomaru muttered, quietly lifting his Otouto into his arms and scratching behind one of those adorable puppy ears. Inuyasha whimpered, leaning into the claws of his Aniki as they scratched away his insecurities.

"I don't want to. I hate it. Why can't I be like you?" He liked that his Aniki was holding him. It was what he had wanted since he had changed into a strange black haired human. But, at the moment, he couldn't stand himself. He just hated being who he was. He hated being different. Hated being hated.

"This Sesshomaru understands, Otouto. But, you are what you are. There is nothing that will be able to change that. You will just have to become strong as both a hanyou, and a human," the Inu muttered softly, his cold face softening when the teary pup looked up into his eyes.

"Yes, Aniki. I can do that!" Inuyasha cried. His determination raged within those golden eyes and he triumphantly raised his fists before him. Looking into his Aniki's eyes again, he smiled brightly and wrapped his tiny arms around his brother's neck. Nothing was going to stop him from being strong.

Sesshomaru rolled his eyes, raging against the pride in his chest with a sigh before setting the pup on the ground again.

"Come, Inuyasha. This Sesshomaru has brought you something to keep your feet warm during the winter," he muttered, pulling a pair a black, glistening boots from his kimono sleeve and holding them out for the pup to take.

"Wow, Aniki. They look just like yours!"the pup cried. Happily, Inuyasha snatched the pair of boots from his Aniki's hands, sitting on the ground and looking them over.

Though, after a moment of observing them, he looked cautiously up at his Aniki. The Inu rolled his eyes and took back the boots. Kneeling before the hanyou, he took one of the pups bottom paws, and pulled out a pair of tabi. When finished fastening them, he undid the hidden buckles of the boots and slipped them onto the pup's feet.

When Sesshomaru finished, Inuyasha jumped up and began to run about. Giggling, he spread his arms out before his Aniki and waited for the Inu's approval. Closing his eyes, the Inu nodded and held his paw out for the pup to take.

"Come, Inuyasha. There are patrols to finish."

"Yes, Aniki!" the pup cried, wrapping his tiny paws around his Aniki's large one. With a bright smile, he followed his older brother, happy to be in his company once more.

_Stupid hanyou. Honestly. I leave for two and a half days and he already manages to attract trouble,_ Sesshomaru thought bitterly, attempting to squash the pride welling inside his chest.

What had he gotten himself into, indeed.

* * *

_A/N: Well, thanks again for reading. I have been thinking about putting up a cover art for this story, but I'm clueless. If any of you have any ideas, I'd love to read them. And, I know that I write a lot, but I always try to get all my thoughts per situation down. There will be cliff hangers in the future though! I'm also aware that the neko probably wouldn't leave poor Yasha alive, but it kinda plays into the rest of my story. Till next time! -^_^-_


	5. What's a Re-Trainer?

_A/N: Well thank you all for your wonderful reviews, though I wish there were more of them. -^_^- I'm sorry it's taken me so long to update. I've just been busy with work. Anyway, I hope you all like this chapter. I tried to make it funnier. But, my humor can be a bit... mean and sarcastic. I'm not that good at just stitutional humor. __In this chapter, I've brought some elements that going to play out in future chapters, so keep a look out! Also, I know I haven't mentioned it before, but this is an AU story. I say it now because some of you were wondering about Kikyou and Kagome. They are in this story, promise. They just aren't in it the same way as the cannon. As always, thanks for reading! -^_^-_

"Talking"

_Thinking_

_"Inu Speech"_

Disclaimer: I do not own nor profit from the characters used in this story. The plot, however, is mine.

* * *

**Ch. 5**

**What's a Re-Trainer?**

"Are you leaving again, Aniki?" the pup asked. He already knew the answer, but he just wanted to make sure.

"Yes, Inuyasha. Do not sulk. This Sesshomaru will return for you shortly," he soothed, placing a long and slender claw beneath his pouting Otouto's chin, lifting it so that they were looking into each others eyes.

"You promise?" Sesshomaru sighed, rolling his eyes at the pup, who's tiny arms were crossed over its chest. The golden pools of the pup's eyes reflected his own back to him. As well as those of his Chichi-ue's. Cringing bitterly behind his callous mask, Sesshomaru nodded solemnly.

"This Sesshomaru promises to return for you before the next new moon. Until then, you will have no more visits from any damned cats. Or anything of the like." Inuyasha bit his lips together to keep from giggling. Ever since he had been attacked by the neko female, his Aniki had been very distasteful of them. Often spitting out any sort of reference to them.

"Good. I look forward to your return, Sesshomaru-sama!" the pup cried, straightening his back and lifting his arms into the proper salute of his generals before bowing. However, unlike the generals, the pup did not bare his throat in submission. Rather, he glanced mischievously up at his Aniki through his silvery bangs. Had Sesshomaru been anyone else, he would have hung his head in his annoyed disbelief at the audacity of the pup. But, he was too sophisticated and proud for that.

So, instead, he blinked slowly and nodded in acceptance of the pup's mocking salute. He knew that there was respect in the pup. But, he was still a child. And as such, couldn't comprehend how to exhibit that respect to his elders properly. His Haha had warned him that, being a hanyou, Inuyasha would be much more likely to disobey or convey mock respect because of his human blood clouding his youaki instincts. His Haha had also suggested to Sesshomaru to be... Patient with the pup.

What a joke.

After giving the pup a solid thump to the head, the royal Inu walked away. To his irritation, he could hear his misbehaving Otouto giggling to his back.

"See you soon, Aniki!"

Sesshomaru turned his head slightly back to the pup while he continued to walk. From the corner of his eye, he watched his hanyou brother wave him off. Deciding that one last acknowledgment from him would not hurt, he nodded to the pup.

"Indeed, Otouto."

* * *

"Daimyou-sama."

Sesshomaru nodded his acknowledgment, as he walked with his usual precise and deliberate grace. He didn't like being in the clan houses, and all the Inus knew it. It was common knowledge, that he refused to live in his Haha's and Chichi's respective palaces since he had reached his coming of age, several hundred years ago. So, to see him within the clan house now, it meant that something was about to happen and he was the only one they knew of that could stop it.

Irritated with being in the clan houses, he fought his urge to snarl at all that stood in his way. But, there was nothing he could do. He was The Lord of the Western Lands and he was the one who dealt with its troubles.

Ahead, stood several of his commanding officers. Fidgeting, they bowed low with their respect, baring their throats with their submission once they stood again. Secretly amused with their discomfort, he nodded his acknowledgement and allowed them to lead him to the council room. Although he did not like being in the clan house, it wasn't as though he didn't know where he was going. But, the older Inu felt it upon themselves to lead the younger Daimyou.

Once within the council room, Sesshomaru warily took in the sight of it, and all those who presided inside. At one end of the hall was his mother, standing among many female Inu who wished desperately to compare to her elegance and grace. It was all part of the game, to become good friends with his mother in hopes of her offering them up to him as a mate. A game, as was made perfectly clear a long time ago, that he absolutely despised.

When his mother saw him, she excused herself of the females, almost running in her haste to be free of them.

"Musuko! It is good to see you again," she murmured softly, running her delicately clawed paw along his cheek, showing her affection in the brief moment when all others were turned away.

"Haha-ue," he muttered, lowering his gaze in respect, shocking her by placing his own paw upon hers, humming his content softly. A sly, elated smile spread across her lips as she watched his eyes raise up to meet hers.

"If this Sesshomaru had known you would be here, he would have brought Inuyasha," he said, choosing to ignore the playful light that had begun to twinkle in his mother's eyes.

"No you would not have," she muttered, bitterly releasing his face and straightening her shoulders. His gaze hardening, Sesshomaru watched as his Haha's face lost its emotion. He knew what she was talking about.

"Indeed. It is not safe here for the pup," he said quietly, almost spitting the words out as his vision flickered across the room. Many who were there would indeed mean to cause his Otouto harm. And not all of them would do so simply because he was a hanyou.

However, their brief moment of solitude was interrupted with the clearing of an Inu's throat.

"Sesshomaru-sama, it is time to begin, " the thick and heavy voice of an older male sounded, the crackling disuse of it evident as he spoke. With silent acknowledgment, The Lord and his mother parted ways, taking their own respective seats on opposite sides of the council room.

It was not the first time that Sesshomaru had sat in his Chichi's place since his death, but it still wasn't any easier from that time when he first had. His silent and very secret discomfort were only seen by the one who knew him best. His Haha. But, she would never breath a word of what she knew to any, let alone to him. Even if they were in confidence. Something he had always been greatfull for, but, until recently, he had never allowed himself to accept.

But, as Sesshomaru watched the council meeting begin, he could hear the faint whisperings of a child's laughter. Of Inuyasha's boisterous accusations towards the pompous nature of all those around him.

Running a contemplative eye around the room, he thought about each individual insult the pup could come up with. But then, his vision landed upon the mirthful smirk that played upon his Haha's lips. Furrowing his eyebrows, he was suddenly surprised at how placid his expression had become. In that single instant, he had lost his composure. And, for a hanyou's sake!

Outraged, he slammed down on the feelings of pride and amusement that the thought of his Otouto had instilled within him, pushing them away with all his might as he returned to glaring at the Inu who was speaking.

"We cannot allow The Lord of the Eastern Lands to continue in his ways of uprooting our authority and destroy what is not his. Sesshomaru-sama, we must stop his advances, or else he will usurp your command and take the lands the previous Inu no Taishou worked so hard to unite. We must end this before he goes too far!"

"And, how do you propose to do so, Akiyo-San?" Sesshomaru interrupted, his challenging tone left little interpretation for his sour mood. One thing he knew for sure, and that was that he was never going to allow The Lord of the East to take his rule or destroy his Chichi's legacy. So, to have one of his own worry about such an impossible thing, only meant that they doubted him. And that, would not be tolerated. Which meant he would have to put their minds at ease by showing them their ignorance.

"You must put him in his place, Daimyou-sama," the elder Inu muttered, bowing.

"This Sesshomaru will do no such thing. Were the roles reversed, you would not be so keen as to hear The Lord of the East tell your Daimyou that he is the one at fault. There is a time, a place and a way that such things are dealt with so that war is not the outcome. When it is time, This Sesshomaru will deal the situation the way he feels is necessary to keep the peace." Though his voice was steady, his demeanor calm and his face expressionless, inside, the young lord was raging and screaming with his boiling anger. A fact that echoed in his large and strong aura as it spread and wrapped around all to show that he was the dominant; he was the alpha.

"Aye, Daimyou-sama. But, if you do not do something, the only choice may be war."

_"That will not happen!" _Sesshomaru barked out, standing suddenly and shocking the other Inu in the room.

The silent, though not entirely discreet seething of her son left Sobo-ue to call attention from the Daimyou, giving him time to recover. She knew better than most the reason for his aversion to war.

"Indeed. I see no need for there to be a war. For, my Musuko knows the ways of diplomacy better than any of you war mongering fools."

When all eyes had turned to the Inu Joou, her tall and imposing figure left many speechless, despite the insult she had passed to them all. Sesshomaru watched as she pulled fleeting feelings of doubt from the remainder of the Inu clan. Seeing an out he deeratly wanted, he cleared his throat.

"The matter is settled. This Sesshomaru will be the one to discuss the ordeal with The Lord of the East in accordance to the diplomacy of the lands. Now, there are other matters to be settled this day."

* * *

"It is good to see you again, Musuko," the Inu Joou cooed, running her paw through her son's silver mane. Sesshomaru sighed, fighting the urge to submit to her calming touch.

"Indeed, Haha-ue. Inuyasha misses you very much."

"And you?"

Sesshomaru peered at his mother through the corner of his eye, incredulous.

"Yes, Haha-ue. I have missed you as well." Now that they were alone, there was no need to hide anything from her.

The bright and warm smile that his mother granted him in return for his confidence, made him hum softly to her touch once more. He had never been able to hide anything from her, so there was no reason to even try. Gently, he wrapped his arms around his mother, embracing her for the first time since his father's death.

"Musuko, such emotions for you to reveal. It seems the pup has changed you more than I had previously thought," she murmured, soaking up as much of the experience as she could, before he became distressed or angry and pulled away from her.

"The hanyou has changed nothing. This Sesshomaru is merely showing his due affection to you, Haha-ue," he muttered. Rationally, he was right. But, his mother knew better than to believe any of it.

"Of course, Musuko," she cooed, following the length of his arms with her soothing touch.

_If he is not willing to see it, then perhaps he will need to be shown how much the pup has changed him. And, how much he cares for it_, Sobo-ue thought. A plan forming within her mind.

* * *

_To think that I would be unable to protect my Chichi's lands from some low life such as The Lord of the East. Ridiculous! _Sesshomaru's deliberate pace was far from calm. He was angry and upset. How dare they accuse him of such things!

In his absent minded reflections, Sesshomaru's path lead him towards the border of the Eastern Mountains and the Plains of Musashi. And, the sounds of some battle he cared nothing about. The burning of the fields and the smoke that filled the air stung his nose and smarted his eyes. Frustrated, the Inu daiyoukai blinked away the water that had begun to well within them. This was not helping his mood, and the waging war that he was walking into was really annoying him.

Before him, the bodies of many demons littered the ground. Creating a maze of carrion, already the feast of many crows, demon and mortal alike. The sight was distasteful and he forced himself to suppress the urge to wrinkle his nose. It was unbecoming of royalty such as himself. So, instead, he decided it would just be easier to walk straight through it and be away from it as soon as possible instead of trying to find a way around it and have the rotten stench and clashing screams ring inside his head for, in all likelihood, hours.

It didn't take long for him to reach what appeared to be the center of the battle; the wild fighting being at its worst as it surround a large hag looking demon. Unimpressed, Sesshomaru watched the thing for a minute, in order to determine jut what it had in its hands.

_A Kappa leader,_ he mused. Not that he cared, but it seemed interesting that the little youkai could show at least _some_ bravery in the face of certain death. However, it didn't take long before the warriors (if you could even call them that) noticed him. But, all they did was stare. At what, he did not know. Or, care.

"You're in my way: step aside," he said, harsher than he had intended. Though, considering his mood and his status, he figured it didn't matter.

A few seconds passed, but all they did was stare at him.

"I said you're in my way. Understand?!" he barked, finally at the end of his patience and loosing his poisonous whip. The demon never saw it coming; it's arms fell away from it, the little Kappa going with them.

The screams of awe that he inadvertently garnered from the little youkais echoed in his ears, and all eyes staring at him as he began to make his way past the wailing leader of the Eastern Mountaineers. Not that he cared, he just wanted past so he could return to his musings in peace. Before he had to return to the mischievous pup his Otouto was becoming.

"Forget me and live on your own accord!"

_So pitiful, leaving his army,_ Sesshomaru thought, disgusted with the bravado he had witnessed in the Kappa leader. Stalking away from the battle grounds, he returned to his thoughts of the council meeting. But a familiar scent lingered with him, long after he left the plains.

"Forgive me for following you. It may not have been your intention, but you saved my life! It would be an honor to become your servant."

_Hm, the Kappa leader. How interesting,_ he mused. But, he continued on. There was no need for him to posses a useless Kappa as a servant. So, he walked on, ignoring the tiny youkai.

"A moment of your time!"

_How irritating,_ Sesshomaru scowled to himself behind his mask. Suddenly, a thought struck him and he almost paused at the youkai's behest. _Then again, the pup would need a companion when I is busy with important matters of the Western Lands that he cannot be a prt of. But, by the looks of it, the Kappa will need a weapon to protect the pup from danger. And, himself from Inuyasha._

Happy with his decision, he made his way to his destination.

Sesshomaru almost smirked with his approval once he reached his destination. After a small, graceful leap, he reached into the waterfall he arrived at. Reaching in, he searched around a bit with his hand. When he found what he sought, he grabbed hold of the wooden pole and pulled.

"Here," he muttered to the Kappa and tossed.

"Thank you. What is it?" The green beaked youkai cried, his wonder evident in both his eyes and his voice. Despite his irritation at the amazement the youkai expressed, Sesshomaru was pleased with Kappa's gratitude towards him.

"It is call the Nintoujou. I will entrust it to you if you're able to use it."

"I am most honored. Please, tell me; what is your name? I must know!"

Sesshomaru's eyebrow almost raised at the boldness the youkai was able to show.

"Sesshomaru " he replied cooly, watching as the aura of the staff intermingled with the Kappa's.

"Sesshomaru. I am Jaken, Mi'Lord!" It cried joyfully.

* * *

"Ow!" the pup cried, smacking his cheek. Standing from the tree he had been sitting under, watching his little fire, he looked around him.

"What was that?" he murmured to himself, looking down to the ground for the little speck that had fallen off of his cheek. Digging through the light but mushy snow, Inuyasha eventually found what he sought.

A flea.

"Oi! What did you bite me for?" he cried, holding the accused flea between his forefinger and thumb.

"Oh, Inuyasha-sama! Why do you have be so cruel to old youkai? Don't you have any respect for your elders?"

"Hey! What are you talking about respect? You're the one who bit me!" the hanyou cried, squeezing the little youkai in his grasp. But, at its squeals of pain, he loosened his grip. Though, with a smug smirk, the pup watched the flea pant and quiver from fright.

"Please release me-he," it wailed as he tried, in vain, to free himself.

"Only if you tell me who you are, what you want, and you apologize for biting me. Or else, I'll keep you until my brother gets back. And, the last time a youkai messed with me, he got really angry. You know," he mused, looking up into the sky with a claw to his chin in mock remembrance. "I don't really know what Sesshomaru did with it."

"OK! Please, let me go! I'll tell you everything!" the little flea cried, tears of his fear streaming down his little face. Giggling, Inuyasha released the terrified youkai, grabbing hold of his stomach while he roared with his mirth.

"Oh how cruel of you! Playing tricks on an old man. If I were bigger," the little flea cried, shaking one of his four fists at the little pup. Said pup was, of course, still clutching to his stomach as he laughed loudly.

"Well do you want me to tell you or not?" the flea cried, irritated and embarrassed at how easily he had been fooled by such a youngster. Oh the agony of being a coward.

"Yes! Yes," Inuyasha gasped, frantically trying to calm down so he could listen to his due apology.

"Well first of all, my name is Myoga and I was a vassal of your father, the great Inu no Taisho. As such, I have since become the guardian of his grave, and your retainer. I have been searching for you-"

"What's a 're-trainer'?" Inuyasha asked the little flea, leaned his head to the side and cocking an ear forward as he waited for the answer.

"A what? No, a re-tain-er, you fool!" he cried, jumping up and down in his place to emphasize his point to the little pup. Scrunching up his nose in distaste, Inuyasha grabbed his little vassal and began to squeeze him between his thumb and forefinger.

"Nooo, please! Release me," Myoga wailed. Eyeing the little flea, the pup set the little youkai on his knee.

"Ahem. As I was saying, I have been searching for you since your father's death."

"Well it took you long enough," Inuyasha muttered angrily.

"Well, I-It was not easy. Your mother ran away to her father's palace before I could- ua-ah!" the little flea screamed as it was thrown from the hanyou in his haste to stand up.

"Aniki!" Inuyasha cried, throwing his arms around the knees of the daiyouaki.

"Myoga, I presume?" he said coolly, stoically, to the pup's shoulder. The little flea youkai, whom of which had jumped from its previous spot and into the hanyou's hair, gulped loudly. At least, loudly to the hanyou and his Inu brother.

"A-Aye, Se-Sesshomaru-sama," Myoga stammered, bowing before the Inu once he had returned to the hanyou's shoulder.

"I have come to make my station as your brother's retainer known to him, Mi'lord. As was your father's wish," he murmured, cracking an eye open to see the Daimyou's response. Sesshomaru breathed in sharply before letting it out loudly and heavily through his nose in his silent seethe.

_My father's wish was for the pup to retain his vassal, and not I, his heir?_ If the council meeting hadn't upset him yet, he was definitely pissed now. He growled deeply at the back of his throat, hoping the stupid thing would keep to its nature and run away. And, never come back.

Inuyasha watched Sesshomaru's eyes narrow at the spot on his shoulder. Feeling the deep growls of the Inu's through his tiny chest, he brushed the flea of his shoulder. Tightening his grasp around his Aniki's knees and burying his nose into the dog's thigh, listening to the little youkai as it squealed all the way to the ground.

"I don't need not 'Re-Trainer'," Inuyasha mumbled into his Aniki's hakamas. Silently, Sesshomaru eyed the top of his Otouto's head, very confused.

"Ahem, Mi'lord Sesshomaru? If I may be so bold as to inquire: who are you talking to?"

Jumping, Inuyasha peered with wide, golden eyes around the Inu Daimyou's leg to look at what had spoken. It hadn't been the flea's voice; it was way to high in pitch. Wrinkling his nose, the pup released its brother's legs and made to stand in front of the tiny thing.

"And, what the hell are you supposed to be? A toad?" Inuyasha asked, sticking his nose down into the green beaked youkai's face.

"WHAT?" it squawked, waving it's arms about his head and his large yellow eyes bulging further out of its tiny head.

"Do not curse, Inuyasha," Sesshomaru scolded sternly, only vaguely aware of what was going on beside him. Thoughts of what had happened during the council meeting and the arrival of his father's vassal still plaguing his mind.

"I am not a toad, you dimwitted hanyou! I am a Kappa," the small, green youkai cried out, crossing his arms once he had completed hitting the hanyou on the top of the head with the Nintoujou his new master had gifted him with.

Growling, the pup glared at the little thing between his elbows, his paws holding the top of his head to soothe the pain. Next to him, Sesshomaru was watching for the pup's reaction. He had been pulled from his thoughts when he had heard his new vassal cry out the word hanyou with disgust. Said hanyou was silently seething at his feet, and he debated on just what its reaction would be.

Slowly, Inuyasha lowered his hands to hang loosely at his sides. His hair covering most of his face, Sesshomaru waited to smell the salty tang of his Otouto's tears in the air. But, instead of crying, the little pup raised its eyes to give the little kappa a devious and toothy grin. Then he attacked, barreling the tiny youkai into the ground.

Blinking, Sesshomaru watched, utterly shocked, as his Otouto threw his new vassal to the ground and began tugging its arms and feet away from each other, telling him that he needed to get bigger. The youkai squawking with pain and shock the whole time. Despite having allowed the annoying thing to follow him, Sesshomaru hadn't been the fondest of it. Though, he had figured the little Kappa would have been a suitable guardian for the hanyou while he was away from it. However, it seemed that all he had managed to do was provide his teething half brother with a living chew toy.

_Damned hanyou,_ he thought to himself, turning back to gaze at the light snow falling from the darkly bright clouds above.

* * *

_A/N: Thank you all for reading. I hope you laughed at least a bit at little Inu beating up Jaken and Myoga. And yes, I used the stretching of Jaken from the Panther demon arc in the anime, tehehe. Well, thanks for reading! -^_^-_


	6. Ear Infection

**_Rewrite! Due to repeating lines, I have reposted this story. Again -_-+_**

_A/N: Well, thank you all for your reviews. They are great motivation to keep writing. Which, I happen to need a lot of right now. I feel so bad for not updating in a while, that I decided to post a filler chapter! This is just something that is part of my story, but doesn't have anything to do with the plot. It's pure fluff, and I didn't want to make it a one shot. -^_^- Anyway, let me know what you think. I have a few more of these in mind, so if you like, I'll be posting them._

Disclaimer: I do not own on or profit from the characters used in this story. However, the plot is mine.

* * *

**Ear Infection**

Inuyasha whimpered. Scratching his ear in his sleep, the familiar monster of his dreams reaching forward to take his arm in its clawed grasp. His tiered arms limp against his attacker, he curled his knees closer to his chest. But, that didn't last.

Uncomfortable and hot he rolled over, sprawling out and groaning. His faint dreaming state lifting faster than his eyes opened, the pup sniffed the air around him for the familiar scent of his companions, Jaken and Myoga, and his Aniki. They were there. Jaken sat slumped against a tree a few feet away, snoring loudly with a snot bubble popping every once in a while, Myoga leaning against his neck. Meanwhile, Sesshomaru was sitting tall and straight against his own tree beside the pup. It was normal for the two to be next to each other at night, Inuyasha's arms wrapped tightly around the irritated Inu's tail. Though, not tonight. Sighing miserably, Inuyasha sat up to scratch his ears more effectively with his foot.

Sesshomaru cracked an eye open to watch his Otouto. The pup had been sleeping poorly for the last two nights, and this was the worst so far. Slowly, he reached forward and took the pup's ankle in his much larger paw, effectively stopping the incessant scratching.

"What bothers you, pup?" He muttered releasing the small appendage.

"Huh?" Inuyasha said, turning towards his brother and flicking his puppy ears forwards. Gently, the pup crawled over to sit in the Inu's lap, Sesshomaru's eyes having narrowed when the pup hadn't heard him. Despite his acute hearing. Inuyasha lowered his head, leaning against his Aniki's torso for comfort.

"What ails you, Otouto?" He asked again, though more gently as he slowly ran his warm claws over the pups itchy, swollen ears.

"My ears hurt, and you sound funny," Inuyasha grumbled. Silently fuming, ears twitching in his brother's grasp and crossing his arms over his chest, the pup closed his eyes in utter discontent.

"Allow this Sesshomaru to see, pup," the Inu murmured louder than he normally would have, tightening his hold on the ear he was caressing. Grumbling, Inuyasha leaned backward to allow the older dog look into the furry ear.

_Stupid hanyou_, Sesshomaru thought as he looked to see the red and inflamed tissue of infected ear drums.

"You have an ear infection, Inuyasha. When was the last time you cleaned them?"

"Last night!" Inuyasha cried, incredulous. How could he have gotten an infection in such a short amount of time?

"When you finished swimming the other day, did you make sure to dry them out?" he asked, releasing an agitated sigh when the pup muttered a quiet "Oh" in response.

"You were warned not to let your head slip under water too much, Inuyasha. Now you will have to wait until the infection has cleared up. Until then," he scolded to the pup, placing his thumb in his mouth and biting down with one razor sharp fang. "This should help your body to fight off the infection faster." Pulling the pup's head closer to him, Sesshomaru rested his now bleeding thumb against the rim of each pearly white triangle. In them, he allowed only one drop of the metallic tonic to find their way into the inflamed channels.

"Ow!" Inuyasha hissed, resisting the urge to pull away or to catch his Aniki's hand in his claws.

_"Be still,"_ the Inu growled, squeezing the final drop from his thumb. Having had to bite it once more, healing too fast to reach the other ear. Inuyasha groaned, closing his eyes and putting his paws over his puppy ears. The stinging of his Aniki's blood continued all the way down until he could feel it burning throughout his skull and behind his eyes. After wincing once more, he curled up in his Aniki's lap. Paws still placed firmly over his ears, just in case his brother wished to do anything else to them.

As Sesshomaru contemplated the situation at hand, he absently ran his claws through his Otouto's mane. Gently combing out the tangles that had managed to create themselves in the pup's restless sleep. Soon, his claws ran through nothing more than a river of soft silver locks.

The feeling of the claws along his scalp and running all the way down his neck to his mid back made Inuyasha's headache fade. Though, his ears still continued to burn. Slowly, his breathing deepened and grew softer. Eyes heavy, Inuyasha looked up to see Sesshomaru watching him, a thoughtful gleam in the inu's eyes.

"Aniki? My ears still hurt," he moaned, clutching to his brother's hakama. Sighing, Sesshomaru studied the pup. Slowly, through his many reflections, he remembered that his mother had placed rags soaked in warm water over his own infected ears. Once upon a time ago.

"This Sesshomaru understands. Wait here, pup. He will retrieve some hot water for them," he muttered, lifting his sleepy Otouto from his lap and setting him on the mound of fur that was his tail. The puppy curled up, burying himself in the soft abyss of fur with a contended sigh. He was so intent on wrapping as much of the fur around him (it doing most of the work) that he didn't notice his Aniki had left him, Myoga and Jaken in the clearing. But, he wasn't very worried. If anything, he didn't care. He only wished to make his ears stop hurting. That, and sleep in the big tail as long as possible.

When Sesshomaru returned to the clearing, a bundle of rags and a bottle full of river water in hand, he wasn't at all surprised to find that his and his brother's retainers had failed to awaken. And, that his Otouto had finally drifted off into a more comfortable sleep. He sighed, relieved.

No. He was not relieved. He was merely acknowledging the fact that the hanyou was sleeping.

_I have no feelings about the pup and_ his _feelings_, he scolded himself. But, even to his rational mind, it sounded like a lie.

Rolling his eyes at himself and pushing aside such thoughts and quietly began to rebuild the fire that had long since gone out. When finished, he filled the small pot that the others used to make soup every once in a while with the water. He suddenly inhaled sharply as a coy wind brushed across his right shoulder, completely bare of its usual tail. He wasn't cold. He was merely surprised at the difference, being to busy thinking about his Otouto. Gently, he ran his left hand over the exposed, silken shoulder. Not wearing his tail was something he hadn't done outside his Haha and Chichi's respective homes. There was no difference in his shoulder now from those times. Nor was there any difference when it bore his tail. But, it was still a strange thing to him.

_And for a hanyou_, he thought, almost begrudginly. Looking over to the pup, he might have chuckled at the sight it made. Where he anyone else. There, a few feet away from where he had been sitting not half an hour prior, a large pile of white sat. From somewhere in the center, a tiny red shoulder and half a tanned face poked out. Every few minutes, the pup would cough or grunt in his dreams, rearranging his position with twitching puppy ears. Effectively giving him the appearance of a living ball of snowy fur.

Shaking his head quietly, he returned to watching the pot of cool liquid heat up. It didn't take long, and soon enough, Sesshomaru was gently pressing warm, wet fabric to his Otouto's healing ears.

Inuyasha sighed with relief, wriggling even further into the ethereal pelt. The slightest of smiles gracing Sesshomaru's lips when the pup shifted more into his tail.

_Silly Otouto_.

* * *

"Look, Jaken! I'm Aniki now!"

Jaken peered over his cup of herbal tea at the loud hanyou that he was in charge of. The pup had remained asleep for much of the day because of his infection, so Jaken had taken to making an herbal tea throughout the day to help with the pain in the pup's ears.

As of now though, the goofy bundle of red was about swallowed up in the enormous tail he had draped over one of his shoulders. Jaken rolled his eyes.

_What a ungrateful brat,_ he thought to himself, not entirely out of annoyance. Even the ever respectful vassal of the great Sesshomaru-sama couldn't help but chuckle at the striking resemblance between his master and his charge.

"Don't be ridiculous! You're no where near tall enough to even attempt to pass for The Lord." The sly smirk on the kappa's beaked face made the pup stick out his tongue.

"You big meanie! I am too," he cried out in response. Squaring his shoulders and drawing himself up, he managed to gain another inch on the kappa.

"You are not! Now put that down before Sesshomaru-sama returns for us."

Inuyasha sighed, allowing his shoulders to slump and the end of the massive tail to slide off. Pouting his lips, he dragged as much of it towards the little fire and youkai as he could.

"Good. Now, let me see your ears. I believe you will need to put more tea on them. Yes, I know it stinks! But, would you rather they hurt?" Jaken asked, eyeing the hanyou. Inuyasha, wide eyed, gingerly touched his snowy ears and shook his head in the negative.

"No, Jaken. Please make them stop hurting," he muttered, defeated. After the youkai nodded in agreement, the pup lowered his head to it and allowed the warm material to be placed against them. He sighed once more with his content, the smelly herbs numbing the ache and reducing the swelling almost instantly.

"This Sesshomaru is satisfied to see you are feeling better, Inuyasha," the smooth baritone of the Inu lord called out. Inuyasha jumped, swiveling head, torso and ears to where he had heard the voice and could smell his Aniki's comforting scent. Excitedly, he shot to his feet and pulled the tail over his shoulder once more.

"Watch out, Aniki! I'm Sesshomaru-sama now!"he cried. As the pup raced foreword to show off the tail, he tripped, rolled over and landed on his bottom before his brother's much larger feet. Bursting into a fit of giggles when he finished his tumble.

"Indeed, Otouto. Though, it seems that you have much more training and," Sesshomaru muttered while lifting the tail away from his brother, the pup soon following once the fur was repositioned, "Growing, before you will be able to claim any such thing."

The giggling hanyou ceased acting out his mirth, sliding into and effortless expression of placid disinterest. Looking straight into his Aniki's eyes, he spoke in an eerily familiar and cold tone.

"This Inuyasha does not think that it will be as long as you make it out to be, Aniki-sama."

Sesshomaru raised a single eyebrow at the pup, who had yet to release his impression of the Inu Daimyou. Slowly, faintly, a smirk began to play at his lips.

"Indeed not, Otouto."

Inuyasha's face suddenly broke from its cold mask into his usual smile and his bubbling laughter soon began to ring out into the clearing and through the sparse forest they were traveling in once more. The sound fitted the pup much more than the cold and challenging tone that he had mimicked, and Sesshomaru found himself releasing a breath he had unknowingly held.

"Do your ears still trouble you, Otouto?" the Inu murmured, running a clawed finger along the edge of a little triangle.

"Not really. Jaken's stinky tea makes them feel a lot better," Inuyasha said, smiling while his shook his head from side to side.

"Good," the Inu replied, giving his acknowledgment to the kappa as well. "Then we will depart once again in the morning."

"Yes, Sesshomaru-sama."

"Ok, Aniki."

Sesshomaru set the pup on the forest floor once more, shooing him in the direction of his kappa guardian so his treatment could be continued. The exaggerated sighs of his happy content filling the air every so often.

_Silly pup_, Sesshomaru thought as he repositioned his tail on his shoulder once more. _At least the infection is gone and he is no longer in pain, _he reminded himself as Inuyasha giggled once more, pouncing on said tail. He had run from the kappa to his brother in search of entertainment, having had enough of sitting with hot things on his ears.

* * *

_A/N: Well that's it. I hope this is better. For some reason, it kept repeating lines. Sorry about that._


	7. Attachments

_A/N: As always, thank you for your wonderful reviews. I personally never thought Jaken was worth anything and was always soooo mean to Rin. So, putting him at the mercy of Inuyasha is his just reward. Tehehe. Anyway, I know some of you do not like the cursing, but as I said, you don't have to read it. However, I wont be toning it down. It's part of the story and it's Inuyasha we're talking about!_

_In another note, I probably wont be posting as much for a while. Since, I write multiple chapters at once. Hopefully, though, this will result in more frequent posting once I get more chapters going. __Well, hope you like this chapter!_

"Talking"  
_Thinking  
"Inu speech"_

Oni-ogre

Disclaimer: I do not own nor profit from the characters used in this story. The plot, however, is mine.

* * *

**Ch. 6**

**Attachments**

"This Sesshomaru will return for the three of you within the next few days. And, Inuyasha," he murmured, pausing to look back at his giggling Otouto. The pup stopped in his attack on his new play mate and looked to where the retreating form of his Aniki's was. Cocking his head, he waited for the Inu to finish what he was saying.

"This Sesshomaru expects his vassal to be in good health when he returns," he muttered, a smirk tugging at his lips. The exasperated cry that the pup gave him made the smirk grow. He knew that the pup would be disappointed at the loss of torturing the Kappa. But, the youkai had his uses and his death would hinder with them.

Inuyasha watched as his Aniki left. He didn't so much mind the Kappa as company, or that he wasn't allowed to chew on him. It was the fact that his Aniki was leaving. No matter how many times he left, the pup _always_ missed him. Even before he was completely gone. Which is what lead to his constant torment of the little green youkai. With a huff, he plopped himself down on the ground, legs crossed and arms stuffed into their opposite sleeves while he watched the last of the Inu daiyoukai's form fade into the heat of the summer haze rising from the lush grass.

_These are going to be a long and hot couple of days_, he thought to himself before turning to look at his guardians.

"Jaken! Myoga! Can we go play in the river?" Inuyasha asked, getting up to bounce on the balls of his feet before the Kappa, the little flea on his shoulder. Jaken warily eyed the hyper pup. _Maybe_, he thought, _it would be good for him to spend his energy on something other than annoying them both._

"Hm, well. Only if you promise not to push us in or splash us with water," Jaken muttered, raising a finger to the pup in warning while his other arm wrapped tighter around the Nintoujou.

Inuyasha pouted, crossing his arms over his chest, slouching his shoulders and sticking his bottom lip out from his mouth ever so slightly. Part of his plan was to make the youkai swim. He was a kappa after all.

"Fine!" he shouted, waving his arms around his head in defeat. Even if he didn't get to push Jaken into the water, he still wanted to go to the river. At least there was more to do there than there was in the clearing Sesshomaru had left them in.

"Good," Jaken mumbled, then immediately jumped up to chase after the wildly excited pup. Whom of which had already began hurtling towards the little river in question.

* * *

After an hour or so of running through the river, splashing anything he could reach (except Jaken and Myoga), swimming round in circles in a calm pool and searching for fish to catch, Inuyasha was barely even out of breath. Though, Jaken and Myoga had decided that he needed a rest, despite his abundance in energy.

"Jaken, where do you think Sesshomaru went to this time?" Inuyasha pondered, staring up into the cloudless sky as he waited for lunch to finish cooking.

"How should I know? Sesshomaru-sama does as he pleases, and doesn't have to explain himself to us. Especially the likes of you," the kappa grumbled, poking at his damp kimono as it dried over the very same fire, completely irritated with the pup. Although it had been an honest accident, he still was not happy about having been splashed with water. That, and being laughed at. Again.

"Now, now. There is no need to make such a fuss. Inuyasha was merely curious," Myoga piped up, offering his own opinion to the Kappa. But, Inuyasha just stuck his tongue out at his green guardian, crossing his arms and looking back up to the sky with a light 'feh'.

_I can't believe it's already been three years since Aniki took me in_, Inuyasha thought, watching a large, lone cloud pass by above the trees. He smiled lightly at the familiar thoughts of it being his Aniki's tail wrapped around him or harboring the elusive palace of his Sobo. He absentmindedly began scratching behind his ears with his foot as he thought. He had taken his Aniki's advice to heart and kept his ears clean, avoiding dipping his head in the water as much as he could. But, every once in a while he did get a rash or an ear infection. But, for now, he didn't have to worry about that, since his ears were very well taken care of today.

Noting the pup's dazed look, Jaken began to wonder what the pup was thinking about. However, he decided not to worry about it and returned to tending to his cloths so they didn't burn over the fire. Slowly, the steam of the water was whisked away in the lazy breeze that passed through the sunny forest. Meanwhile, Inuyasha quietly brought his gaze down to look at the sparkling water and began to count the silvery fish that would pass by.

"What are you thinking about Inuyasha-sama?" Myoga inquired, jumping to the little pup's shoulder when his companion stood to pull his cloths from the line over the fire. Peering over to the hanyou before he pulled his newly dried cloths over his head, Jaken proceeding to sit back down when finished.

"Indeed. You are much too silent. What's wrong with you?"

But, Inuyasha just shrugged. Returning back to watching the clouds, and his thoughts. Although it had not been stated, Inuyasha knew that _hanyou_ had been on Jaken's thoughts after he'd asked about Sesshomaru. Whom of which had told Jaken not to use the word. Since it had become a term loosely thought of as a curse. One of which Inuyasha knew all too well.

"Inuyasha-sama?" Myoga called again, jumping up and down on the pup's shoulder.

"I'm not a sama," the pup replied stiffly, brushing the flea off his shoulder. He continued to watch as the clouds twisted and turned in the fast paced dances.

"Humph. That may be so, but you are still the son of the former Daimyou of the Inu clan and The Lord of the West. At least take it with some manner of grace," grumbled the kappa, picking up his little friend from the ground beside the pup. When Inuyasha didn't reply, he merely muttered an unintelligible curse in his youkai tongue. Grimacing at the sound, Inuyasha watched his beaked sitter remove his lunch from the fire and begin to eat. The other of which, had already gorged himself on fish blood. Which he claimed to be rather tangy in a most unpleasant way...

"I'm sorry Myoga, Jaken. I didn't mean to be rude. May I have some fish now, too?"

Casting a speculative eye at the pup, both elderly youkai contemplated his apology. With a defeated sigh, Jaken deigned to give the pup an answer.

"Very well, Inuyasha. You're apology has been accepted. Those fish are for you," he finished as he pointed to three large and plump fish that bent over the end of the sticks they were impaled upon. Grinning devilishly with delight, Inuyasha licked his chops and seized the first of the crispy creatures.

After the size able meal, the little hanyou was allowed to wreak havoc upon the river and its wildlife once more. His two keepers staying as far back from the shore as they could so they didn't get splashed, but could still keep an eye on him.

* * *

**Boom.**

"Jaken, wha- what do you th- think that wa- was?" Stammered Myoga. The little flea and his Kappa friend had been resting quite peacefully until recently. Shaking rather noticeably, he stood from his resting spot on the green youkai's shoulder.

"Ho-how sh- sh- should I kn- n- no?" Came the shaking reply of the beaked youkai. Together, they gulped down their fear and looked around the dark clearing beside the river Inuyasha had been playing in earlier. As Jaken stood by their tiny fire he had used to teach Inuyasha how to make one, he searched around for said pup. Only, he came up with nothing.

"Why that little-! He left us here by ourselves," Jaken cried, furiously swinging around the Nintoujou as tears of nerves and frustration leaked down his face. On his shoulder, came similar sobs about the cruelty of their Inuyasha-sama.

**Boom. Boom. Boom.**

"P-per-haps we sh- sh-should try to f-find Inuyasha-s-sama. S-s-some-where else," the flea sputtered, having lost his nerve to remain in the dark clearing. Beside him, Jaken's head bobbed with his eager agreement. Though he was still fuming over their abandonment, finding the pup was much important. For if they survived whatever was making its way towards them, Sesshomaru-sama would surely have their heads for the pup's disappearance.

**Boom. Boom.**

The deep pounding and the dull thud of heavy feet that were making their way through the dense wood resounded deep within the earth. Growing louder as they drew nearer, Jaken felt the panic rise in his chest, clouding his head with a sharp pain in the front of his mind. Meanwhile, bile raced up the back of his throat and tightened the muscles around his hurriedly beating heart. Practically screaming at the top of their lungs, Jaken and Myoga only vaguely realized that they were drawing the noises nearer.

However, it wasn't until the owner of two great, green feet were standing before them that they realized the error in their ways.

"Hm," rumbled the Oni youkai. "A kappa. What are you doing here?" It asked, leaning down to face the smaller youkai. Jaken swallowed, opening his mouth but closing it when nothing came out. He tried again, but the cycle only repeated for a few more moments.

"What? Can't speak?" cried the Oni, laughing heartily at the quailing thing.

"Run, Jaken! Run," cried Myoga in the Kappa's ear, hopping up and down to try and make his point. Jaken swallowed once more, breathing deeply through his nose.

"No, I will not run away. What will Sesshomaru-sama think if we were to run away?" Jaken whispered back, gripping the Nintoujou tighter in his hands. In front of him, the Oni was still laughing maniacally at the sight of the terrified Kappa, the flea on his shoulder still unnoticed.

"Very well! You deal with the ugh, Oni, and I'll go, ugh search for Inuyasha-sama!" the flea cried, bounding off his friend's shoulder and racing away as fast as he could.

"Why you! Get back here you coward!"Jaken screamed, his face swelling with anger.

"Who are you talking to, Kappa?" the Oni suddenly asked, peering the tiny youkai over for a moment.

"Ugh, ugh," Jaken managed to squeeze from his contracting throat, his anger deflating in his fear of the very large ogre before him. When he couldn't give an answer, the Oni grew angry and narrowed his eyes in suspicion.

"Take this!" The Kappa suddenly cried, waving the Nintoujou around. "Feel the wrath of the Staff of Two Heads!" He screamed in his panic, the staff belching a great wave of fire.

The Oni roared with anger, pain lacing his screams as he shook his whole body from side to side, covering his burnt face with his hands.

"Ha! That will teach you to mess with Jak-uagh!" he cried out, his triumphant boast cut short when he was sent sailing through the air and into a nearby tree by one of the Oni's feet.

* * *

"Idiots," Inuyasha grumbled, smacking his palm to his forehead. He had been watching the kappa and the flea try to find him for a moment. He had initially been tracking the Oni, trying to lead it away from the two so that they didn't get hurt. Having smelled it a mile off (not that it was hard), he had run off without telling the two. In hindsight, that was definitely not the smartest thing to have done. Regrettably, the two had started panicking and begun to scream his name. Leading the stupid Oni right to them.

_Next time, I'll just grab the two and put them in a tree,_ Inuyasha thought to himself grimly. Having heard their pleaded cries, he had raced towards them, but the Oni had reached them before he could rescue their dumb asses. Grumbling quietly to himself, the little hanyou swooped down from the branch he hid in.

Now, standing before the ugly, green Oni with his two, no one, companion behind him, Inuyasha stared the ogre down. He hated the smell of it. Disgusting. Really the only word he could come up with to describe the stupid thing. Whom of which was searching the tree tops to find where he had dropped out of.

"There's only one of me," Inuyasha grumbled, crossing his arms and giving the Oni a disinterested look.

"Inuyasha! Why you-" But, whatever the kappa was going to say next was cut off when the hanyou pup gave him a pointed glare.

_He looks just like Sesshomaru-sama!_ Jaken thought with dismay. _It must be from living with the Daimyou for the last three years or so._

"And just who do you think you are?" cried the burnt ogre. Inuyasha had to admit that he was surprised the little Kappa had such fire power in him. But then, his Aniki had given it the weapon. So, it was bound to have some decent powers. However, his admittance was silent as he stared down the ugly ogre.

"Answer me, Hanyou!" it spat, reaching forward to grab hold of the pup.

"Fuck off. I know who I am. I'm the younger brother of the Lord of the Western Lands, Sesshomaru-daimyou-sama. Now get lost before you get killed," Inuyasha snarled in reply. Damn it felt good to call someone on cursing his existence.

"You lie!" cried the Oni, pausing in his action of reaching to grab hold of the pup.

"I don't lie. Now go find something else to eat," he growled, trying his best to sound menacing. To his credit, the cold tone and hard glare he had learned to mimic his brother for, were working to his advantage. Making the Oni think twice on what he was doing. However, it didn't seem to completely deter him from his intention on taking the hanyou in his grasp.

"You lie. The Lord of the Western Lands would never allow such filth to follow him. Let alone claim him as family. Now you'll die for your half witted deception and insult to the Inu Daimyou!" he bellowed and hurled himself forward.

"Oh yeah! Just try it!" Inuyasha roared, cracking his claws. Reaching deep inside him, pulling the anger and hate against the Oni to the surface and willing it to fill his claws, he leaped in the air as he raised his arm.

And brought it down, his golden youki filling the air with a satisfying crackle of energy. Slicing down the Oni with great force, stopping at his hips and cleansing much of the air of its putrid scent as well. Lightly, Inuyasha landed on his feet before taking Jaken into an embrace.

"Jaken-sama! I was so scared. Use your staff and burn it! Please. Just in case it's still alive!" Inuyasha whined, releasing the Kappa from his clutches and onto its feet.

Jaken swayed, reeling over what he had just seen. No way was the Oni alive. No way could it have survived _that_! However, dazed, the little youkai walked to where his beloved Nintoujou had landed when he had been kicked. Lifting it from the ground and setting on its blunted end so he could lean against it, he turned to eye the sight of the dead Oni and the little inu hanyou who had slayed it.

"It's dead, Inuyasha," he huffed, tiredly sitting at the base of the tree.

"But!" Inuyasha cried, trotting over to sit on his haunches beside the Kappa. "You never know, Jaken. Please get it with your staff. Please, please please!" he whined, sticking his bottom lip out in a light pout, his eyes growing watery with fright.

"Oh very well. Help me up and then get out of my way!" Jaken grumbled, very irritated. Inuyasha's round features brightened, his watery eyes drying up with eager excitement.

"Yeay!" he shouted with delight, grabbing the Kappa's offered hand and letting him pull himself to his feet. The beaked youkai just shook his head.

"Now stand back, and witness the power of the Nintoujou!" he cried, smugly setting the monster aflame.

"Ick! That stinks," Inuyasha suddenly cried, covering his nose with his sleeve. Jaken's nose wrinkled in his own distaste of the burning flesh.

"Yes, but now it's gone," he muttered, the flames disappearing with the power of Jaken and the staff's youki. The Oni was now nothing more than a pile of ashes.

"Lets go back to the clearing Sesshomaru left us in. It doesn't stink there," the hanyou muttered, grabbing the Kappa's sleeve.

"Yeah, ok," Jaken muttered, following his charge warily.

* * *

"Um, Lord Sesshomaru?" Jaken muttered, edging closer to his lord. Now that Inuyasha was asleep, he had finally managed to muster up the courage to speak his mind to the Inu Daiyoukai. Slowly, Sesshomaru opened his eyes to peer down at the green Kappa. Gulping, Jaken wrung his hands around the pole of Nintoujou.

"Well," he began looking down to the ground. "Well, I um. I have to tell you something." Taking a peek up at the Inu, who's face had not changed since he had returned to find Myoga missing, Inuyasha tiered and a large, burnt Oni a small ways off from where they were.

"I didn't kill the Oni, Mi'Lord! It was Inuyasha who saved me after it kicked me into a tree and the Nintoujou fell from my hands. Please forgive me for allowing the pup to lie to you. I should have said something then. I am truly sorry," Jaken sniffed, exasperated tears running down his face while his head drooped in shame.

"This Sesshomaru was aware of what had happened, Jaken. Thank you for confessing. There is nothing to forgive. Perhaps, you should thank the pup when he awaknes for wishing you to be acknowledged, instead of easily taking the credit for his deed," the daimyou murmured softly. Reaching over to the Kappa, he rested one of his clawed hands on its shoulder. "At least you did not run away, like your companion, Myoga," Sesshomaru reminded, snarling the flea's name.

"Yes, Mi'Lord! Thank you for your generosity. I will be sure to do that. Though, I am surprised that he would give all the credit to me, since he is so intent on becoming strong and worthy in your eyes," Jaken confessed, relieved to hear that he was not being blamed for the deceit. Even though they had been found out.

"It is because of his wish to be worthy that he did so. By telling me he had been the one to dispatch the Oni, he would have shown his strength in arms. But, by allowing you to be his savior and leaving you to look the stronger, he proved his loyalty to you and the strength of his character. He allowed you to be the greater warrior, while remaining a child himself. However, with your confession, you have both proven yourselves to be more than worthy of this Sesshomaru's companionship and trust." Running his claws through the inu pup's hair, Sesshomaru finished his speech by nodding his satisfaction to the Kappa. "You are, indeed, a vassal of worth. Now, go and rest. We will depart once you have fully recovered from your... Unexpected flight."

"Yes Mi'Lord!" Jaken sighed, tears of gratitude shining within his eyes as he bowed to his lord and went back to his seat on the other side of the fire.

_Good job, Inuyasha. You have proven yourself a most admirable and honorable warrior. Be proud of the respect you have earned from the Kappa this day. Chichi-ue would have been proud, _Sesshomaru thought while resuming his work of untangling leaves and branches from the pup's hair. A light smile teasing the corners of his mouth as he thought of what their father would have said. Only vaguely noticing the none too stealthy return of the flea youkai.

* * *

"Grrr! I'm going to eat you!"

"Bwuah!" squawked the green youkai as his hyper charge barreled him to the ground. "Ouch! Let me go, you ungrateful brat!" he screamed, trying his damnedest to hit the hanyou upside the head with the Nintoujou. However, this only made the teething pup giggle and nip the Kappa's arms and head all the more. Growling and playfully shaking his head with a mouthful of Jaken while they rolled around on the ground.

"Ow! Ouch! Stop it. Let me go! Why you-! Get back here!" the Kappa screamed, chasing after the pup, who had stolen the youkai's hat and ran off with it in his mouth. But, Inuyasha only turned around, sitting on his haunches, a big and devilish grin on his face as he waited for the Kappa to catch up. The hat still clutched tightly in his teeth.

This had become one of their many games constantly being instigated by the hanyou. Although the Kappa disapproved of the pup always making off with his things, or wrestling with the tiny thing, he always accepted that, until such a time as the pup was big enough to wrestle with Sesshomaru, he would be the designated playmate. Or, the one designated to be tormented, rather. But then, he did prefer to have his hat or staff stolen over being a chew toy or youki practice. Panting heavily, he rested his hands on his knees to rest a moment.

_Gosh darn it! When will this brat get big enough to attack his brother for play? Or just out grow playing altogether?_ The Kappa grumbled to himself, sweat dripping from his brow. Shortly after he had regained his breath, he looked up to see the pup had not moved. A smug, mocking smirk splayed across his face, hat still sticking out of his mouth. Groaning angrily at the hanyou, Jaken shook the Nintoujou at the pup.

"You! Give that back right now!"

"You have to catch me first!" Inuyasha called back, turning on his heel and prancing away smugly.

"Grah! Fine," he called after the pup, racing forward to try and pry it out of the razor sharp fangs before the pup knew he was upon him. He failed. Miserably.

Inuyasha laughed as Jaken fell forward onto the ground. But, instead of running off with the hat once more, he lifted the Kappa from the ground. Setting the tiered youkai on his feet and handing the oddly pristine hat back to him with a bright and innocent smile on his face. Even the five year old pup knew when to stop torturing his guardian.

"Oh, thank you, Inuyasha," Jaken muttered, shoulders sagging from his exhaustion.

"Inuyasha."

The two looked over to where they had heard Sesshomaru's voice, the pup cocking his head from side to side as he took notice of the things in his Aniki's grasp. The Inu Daimyou sat beneath a tree, tall grass and flowers surrounding him in the tree's shade, the haze of the hot weather made his elegant form shimmer and glow. After a moment of walking, the two reached the daiyoukai. A small wooden slab, a blank scroll, ink pot and brush in his hands.

"What's that, Aniki?" the pup questioned, sitting on his haunches beside his brother and craning his neck to observe the odd things. Sesshomaru only reached around him, pulling his Otouto into his lap and setting the items into its lap.

"You will show this Sesshomaru your capabilities in reading and writing, Otouto," muttered the daimyou sternly. However, all manner of cold had ceased to color his voice many weeks ago. Around the time he had saved Jaken from the Oni. Tilting his head to the side, Inuyasha stared blankly at the scroll for a moment, then looked up to his Aniki's face.

"I can't write, Aniki. Okaachan tried to teach me a long time ago, but she got too sick when I was old enough to understand. I can read, though. Since, Okaachan's family made fun of me all the time, I had to learn," he muttered sheepishly, lowering his gaze to look at a pile of scrolls beside him and his brother. Next to them, leaning against the tree, Jaken was still wheezing, but calming considerably.

Sesshomaru's gazed turned hard as he contemplated what he had been told by his Otouto. Although he had not really expected the pup's mother to have had time to teach him, he had assumed Inuyasha would at least know something of writing. Sighing deeply and closing his eyes to calm himself and push away the snarls of anger that had a habit of building when Inuyasha's tortured past was mentioned.

"Then, it is time to teach you, Otouto," he said, gently placing his large paw around the tiny one of his brother's, putting the brush inside it.

"Ok," Inuyasha timidly replied, casting a cautious look over the fine scroll.

"Good."

_Soon, Otouto, you will no longer have the memory of your grandparents and other relatives to taint your Haha's influence and Chichi-ue's blood._ Sesshomaru silently vowed.

* * *

_A/N: Well thanks for reading! Please leave a review, they are great motivations for me to get into writing mode. -^_^- But, there is no warning there. I will post even if no one reads it!_


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